According to the Mail’s North-East correspondent Craig Hope, Newcastle have been scouting Sunderland talents Joel Asoro and Josh Maja , with Benitez eyeing a double deal to bring the teenage forwards to Tyneside this summer.
Despite Sunderland’s awful season in the second tier, Asoro (18) and Maya (19) are believed to have been one of their few bright sparks.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the youngsters are both out of contract this summer, and whilst Chris Coleman is doing his utmost to keep them at the League One-bound side, Newcastle are queuing up to pinch the pair from our League One bound rivals.
Here’s a snippet from Craig Hope’s piece in the Mail:
“Newcastle have sent scouts to check on Sunderland pair Joel Asoro and Josh Maja amid uncertainty over their future at the club.
“Sportsmail can reveal that the Magpies have been watching the teenage strikers in recent months, deploying scouts to the Stadium of Light to return reports on the duo – and it is thought they are better than the forwards currently on their books at the same age.
“Asoro, 18, and Maja, 19, are out of contract next summer and the Black Cats have offered them new long-term deals, which they remain hopeful of them signing.”
With Benitez intent on improving our U-23 set up and the under-belly of his NUFC first-team squad, the attacking duo could be decent additions for the club – and another move that would rub salt in the wounds of our rivals down the road.
Now we all know Sunderland's season has been dire but Joel Asoro and Josh Maja have been a positive aspect of it. Wouldn't be bad additions for the future #NUFC https://t.co/axz3lzzDI4
— Andrew Musgrove (@ADMusgrove) April 13, 2018
Here’s a clip of Joel Asoro – the Swedish youth international who is the thought to be the most talented of the two:
