Newcastle United interested in buying Merlin Rohl – Reported in Germany | OneFootball

Over in Germany, it has been reported that Newcastle United are interested in signing Merlin Rohl.

Sport Bild claim that Newcastle United are one of four Premier League clubs to have shown an interest in buying the Freiburg midfielder. Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Everton are the others also named in the report.

Freiburg had an excellent 2024/25 Bundesliga season, finishing fifth and qualifying for the Europa League.

Despite an injury hit (heel and ankle injuries) season, the 22 year old Merlin Rohl was still able to feature in 19 of the German club’s 34 league matches, starting 11 and off the bench in another eight. At the age of 21 he featured in 24 of the 34 Bundesliga matches, starting 17 times and off the bench on another seven occasions in the league.

Sport Bild say their information is that Freiburg (who Newcastle bought Papiss Cisse from in 2012) want more than €20m (approx £17m) for Merlin Rohl.

A versatile box to box midfielder with plenty of stamina, the 6ft 3 German midfielder sounds like he has the kind of physicality needed in an Eddie Howe midfielder and he can play in a number of midfield positions, plus has also played at left-back.

Merlin Rohal is currently in Slovakia with the German Under 21s and they play France tonight in their Under 21s Euro semi-final.

Germany won all three group matches, including a 2-1 win over England. Merlin Rohl starting in midfield that match, when bizarrely Lee Carsley left Tino Livramento out, despite England needing a point to be sure of qualifying.

With Germany a goal down against Italy, Merlin Rohl came off the bench in their quarter-final after an hour and helped them turn it around, Rohl ending up scoring the winning goal, making it 3-2 with only three minutes of extra-time remaining.

If Germany beat France tonight, they will face Tino Livramento and England in Saturday’s final, if Lee Carsley’s side can also beat the Netherlands later today.

Who knows how much substance in this transfer story but ahead of the Under 21 Euros it was reported that Newcastle United would be actively scouting and watching potential signings at the tournament. Earlier today in the Spanish media, it was also claimed that Newcastle United had been watching Spain’s Under 21 central defender Cesar Tarrega, who plays for Valencia.

As I say, you always have to treat any transfer story/claim with the utmost scepticism, but at the same time, I always think there is infinitely more chance of potential Newcastle United in players with this kind of profile, up and coming players in their early 20s who are already playing at a decent level but with their best years ahead of them. As opposed to the ridiculous stuff like repeated links to the likes of soon to be 30 years old Jack Grealish on £300,000 wages a week.

You only have to look at the outfield players Eddie Howe has bought. Apart from the emergency first transfer window in January 2022 when United were facing relegation, since then all the outfield players that Newcastle have paid a fee for have been aged 23 or under, apart from a 25 year old Harvey Barnes.