A transfer rumour doing the rounds this week has been around Fernando Torres’ potential reunion with Rafa Benitez at Newcastle, and fellow striker Alan Shearer has had an interesting say on the matter – claiming the 33-year old Spanish veteran would do a good job if signed in January.
A loan deal was mentioned earlier this week in The Mirror, who stated ‘Torres’s representatives have let his desire to leave Atletico on loan in January be known to Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez and Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino’, however this is still a rumour being received with a pinch of salt.
Nevertheless, during a Facebook Live for Coral, Shearer was asked whether he thought Torres would be a good addition for NUFC.
Here’s what he said:
“Yes, I think he would.
“I think that’s one of the areas where are Newcastle are struggling at this moment of time – scoring goals.
“We do need additions to give us something different, someone with a bit of pace, or someone with a bit of presence who can sniff out a goal.
“If you’ve got a guy who can get you 10 to 15 league goals a season, that can make the difference – you’ll climb 7 or 8 places in the league and that’s what Newcastle need
“They have Mitrovic, Joselu and Dwight Gayle and all three have different qualities and if we could put them altogether we would have a top striker but unfortunately you can’t do that and I think we do need additions in that striker department,”
“So yeah, I think he would be a good addition.
“Rafa knows him, he knows Rafa, and if he is available, he’d do a decent job at Newcastle.”
Torres was once one of the most feared strikers in world football, and while he was the definition of a proven striker in his heyday, it’s highly debatable whether he’d be the answer for us right now.
He’s 33 and has only actually scored 10 goals in his last 55 games for Atletico Madrid. Most of those appearances have been from the bench, but that is also a factor worth considering – at 33, I wouldn’t expect him to be playing 90 minutes week in week out.
His signing would no doubt excite a few and would create a bit of hype around Tyneside no doubt, but I’m not sure he’s the answer to our goalscoring issues – – making Shearer’s comments a little surprising.
He’d offer some know-how in front of goal and that combined with his experience would by no means make him a ‘bad signing’, but I’d like to think we’d go down another path this January if we’re seriously looking to bolster our attacking options
