After confirmation recently that Newcastle had a scout present for Club Brugge’s Champions League clash with Monaco last month, reports in Belgium are now claiming that it was Brazilian striker Wesley Moraes that we were watching.
The 6ft 3′ striker plays for Belgian giants Club Brugge and actually got on the scoresheet that night club scouts were in attendance, equalising to earn a 1-1 draw with Monaco on the night.
Moraes has 9 goals in 16 games for Brugge during the 2018/19 campaign so far, scoring 7 goals in 11 league appearances, 1 in 3 appearances in Europe and bagging another in the Belgian Cup.
His size and stature suggests he’d be well suited to playing in that lone striker role, however he is just 21 – and it’s fair to say an impressive goalscoring record in the Belgium league does not necessarily translate to goals in the English top flight
Newcastle scouts appeared to have eyes on Wesley Moraes #NUFC | – https://t.co/6XEjNE6Vhz pic.twitter.com/gxxHSLaeTW
— Read Newcastle (@ReadNewcastle) October 27, 2018
He fits the Ashley model in terms of being at a ‘good age’, a player with potential (sell on value in Ashley’s eyes) and someone who appears to have the potential to make an impact in the Premier League, but this would seem like a big risk if Benitez were to pursue him this winter.
Time will tell, with him likely to be one of a number of strikers we are watching ahead of what promises to be such a huge January transfer window for the club.
