Chelsea enter race for Newcastle target Karim Coulibaly - Sky Germany

Newcastle United could be ready to face a long summer of ups and downs in the transfer window, given the sheer number of players the club needs to bring in.

The Magpies are hoping to overhaul their squad ahead of the new season, but on top of that, they are also looking to bolster their reserves with fresh young talent on the cust of a first-team breakthrough.

Unfortunately for Newcastle, they aren't the only club looking to do this, and while Newcastle have got really good at identifying young talent, they still find themselves lacking when it comes to actually convincing them to come to Tyneside.

That's not always the case, obviously, but there have historically been other Premier League clubs who have excellent form when it comes to snatching young stars from under our noses. Brighton, being one, who look to be doing it again with Said El Mala, and another is Chelsea, who are back at it again.

Chelsea now want Karim Coulibaly

Newcastle have been weighing up a move for 18-year-old Werder Bremen defender Karim Coulibaly, who could cost as much as £43 million if Werder get their way.

There's plenty of interest in the teenager, too, and now Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has reported that Chelsea have entered the race, which could be bad news for Newcastle.

Plettenberg claims that Werder Bremen are fully resigned to losing Coulibaly in the summer; it's really just a case of where he ends up.

🚨🆕 Chelsea have entered the race for the 18 y/o talented centre-back Karim Coulibaly, who is seen as a top talent with huge potential. #CFC are very impressed with his development.

A summer move is 100% planned. Several top clubs are scouting him, including Real Madrid,… pic.twitter.com/j4rc7amxS8

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 8, 2026

Chelsea are a huge worry in the transfer market

Chelsea has a fantastic track record when it comes to recruitment. We don't know what they say to prospective signings, but it almost always works, so if the Blues are serious about entering the race for Koulibaly, that's going to make life very difficult for Newcastle.

Other clubs expected to be at the table are Real Madrid, Manchester Utd, PSG and Napoli. That's some tough competition, no matter how you look at it, but it's Chelsea who has us the most worried with their record of getting their man.

Hopefully, the club won't be as defeatist as we are, as there has to come a day when we can beat Chelsea to a signing, and the only way we can do that is by consistently challenging.

It may not happen with Coulibaly this summer, but the match practice will be good for us.