According to the Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson, the club’s ‘key priorities’ heading into the summer transfer window are the signing of a ‘creative midfielder and centre-forward‘.
Despite the break in play and current lockdown, his piece states that Steve Bruce remains in ‘regular contact’ with Steve Nickson and Lee Charnley on the transfer front.
The report also claims the NUFC boss is yet to make a decision on Nabil Bentaleb and Valentino Lazaro – despite Italian reports suggesting earlier this week that we’ll pursue a £21.5m permanent deal for the Inter Milan loanee.
Here’s a snippet from the Northern Echo’s latest piece on the transfer front:
Newcastle’s two key priorities this summer will be a creative midfielder and a centre-forward, although their business will be influenced by who leaves.
Steve Bruce remains in regular contact with head of recruitment Steve Nickson and managing director Lee Charnley
Newcastle made two other loan signings in January (aside from Rose), recruiting Valentino Lazaro and Nabil Bentaleb, but they are yet to make a decision on whether to seek permanent deals for either of those players later in the summer.
Lazaro has provided some pace and attacking thrust down the right-hand side, while Bentaleb has made six starts at the heart of midfield, but Bruce feels it is too early to make a long-term decision on either loanee.
Considering Joelinton’s lack of goal threat, Gayle’s fitness issues / inability to score at this level, Carroll’s unreliability and Muto’s ongoing absence from Bruce’s plans, it’s an understatement to say we need to sign a new striker this summer.
A playmaker would also be a welcome addition. While Jonjo Shelvey can create from deep and Saint-Maximin and Almiron can cause problems with their pace and trickery, we lack that cutting edge in the final third – and have a real lack of quality in reserve should either get injured.
Who would you like to see us go for this summer if Bruce is targeting these two areas?
