Juan Miranda contacted by Newcastle over potential January move

Newcastle United have reportedly made an initial approach for Bologna left-back Juan Miranda, with Italian media claiming we have made the first enquiries ahead of a possible January move.

The 26-year-old has previously been on our radar, with NUFC Blog exclusively revealing our interest back in 2023. Now, with Juventus and AC Milan also monitoring his situation, the Spaniard could become an interesting option for Matthias Jaissle.

Italian media reveal Miranda enquiry

According to Italian newspaper Tuttosport, Newcastle have made the ‘first enquiries’ about signing Miranda, putting us ahead of the competition at this early stage.

Juventus are also interested, with Luciano Spalletti keen to strengthen his options at left-back, while AC Milan remain admirers after previously missing out on the opportunity to sign him on a free transfer in 2024.

Miranda has established himself at Bologna since joining from Real Betis, making 93 appearances and registering 18 assists. His attacking quality has been particularly noticeable this season, with five assists in Serie A by the beginning of November.

The Spaniard’s contract runs until the summer of 2028, but Bologna have reportedly been unable to make progress in their attempts to agree an extension. Tuttosport believe that uncertainty could create an opportunity for interested clubs, with Newcastle potentially looking to take advantage.

This is not the first time we have been linked with Miranda, either. Back in June 2023, NUFC Blog exclusively revealed that Newcastle were discussing potential moves for both Miranda and AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw, who eventually signed last summer.

Three years on from that exclusive, Miranda is once again being linked with a move to Newcastle.

Another left-back needed - but is this realistic?

There is a reasonable argument that we need another option at left-back, particularly when looking at the current make-up of our squad.

Lewis Hall is our only natural senior left-back, while Dan Burn is no longer an option we can rely on in that position. Tino Livramento has also struggled with fitness issues and has rarely been available of late, while he is arguably more comfortable on the right anyway.

Alex Murphy is another potential option, but he is currently out on loan in Germany and considered more of a left-sided centre-back. 

That leaves us looking rather short if Hall is unavailable, making the interest in Miranda understandable. He is a tall, attacking full-back with the technical quality to contribute in the final third, and his ability to move into midfield could also appeal to Jaissle.

However, there is a bigger question around whether Miranda would actually be interested in making the move.

At 26, he is approaching an important stage of his career and will surely want regular football, rather than joining Newcastle simply to provide competition and cover for Hall. Juventus and AC Milan could also offer the attraction of regular European football, something we cannot currently guarantee.

It is a difficult one to complete unless we can offer Miranda a convincing role in the first team, or there are concerns that Hall could leave in one of the upcoming transfer windows.

For now, the reported first enquiries are worth keeping an eye on. We have admired Miranda for several years, but whether that interest can turn into a realistic January deal remains to be seen.