A winger is high on the priority for this summer. Miguel Almiron and Ryan Fraser both showed flashes of their quality last season, but it is a position where we can get a huge upgrade.
Moussa Diaby and Ismaila Sarr have been linked with a move. Both would represent good signings, although the former would generate a lot more excitement.
Below, we discuss five other players we could target for the role.
Dominico Berardi – Sassuolo
This would be a huge statement signing. Berardi played a key role in the Italy side that won Euro 2020 and he has been at Sassuolo for a long time. A move away could be beneficial for him, although a transfer to one of the Italian giants is more likely in the short term.
Berardi would be a perfect signing for what we currently need. He carries a dual threat, capable of scoring and creating. Last season, he contributed 15 goals and 14 assists in Serie A.
He averaged 0.25 non-penalty expected goals (npxG) and 0.27 expected assists (xA) per ninety minutes. These are great underlying numbers, with 3.29 shots and 4.69 shot creating actions per ninety minutes. Berardi is a high quality operator and would add shot volume to our attack.
Berardi has a high work rate defensively and he is very good at progressing the ball. At 27, he is a bit older than would be ideal, but his qualities mean he would be an excellent signing.
Bryan Mbeumo – Brentford
The Frenchman won’t be on the radars of many Newcastle fans, but he has had a very impressive first season in the Premier League. Brentford do like to make one big sale each summer to generate funds for their own recruitments and Mbeumo could represent a bargain.
Four goals and seven assists isn’t too impressive, but he was a huge threat in a newly promoted side. At times, he can be rash in front of goal. He generated 0.28 npxG per ninety minutes. However, he scored at a rate of 0.09 goals per ninety minutes. Mbeumo underperformed his expected metrics.
Although that would be a worry, his composure is likely to improve with time. He is only 21 years old. It is perhaps more impressive that he is getting into good goal-scoring positions, even if he is wasting them.
Mbeumo is a hard working forward player, who would fit into Eddie Howe’s system. He is a well rounded attacker and has the potential to develop into an excellent player. It would be a gamble, but it would be an exciting one.
Breel Embolo – Borussia Monchengladbach
Embolo is the perfect profile to play as an inside forward on the right flank. At the age of 25, he is a good age and he already has a high level of experience at the top level. Over the last 18 months, his star has waned, but a move to a new club could be exactly what he needs.
The Swiss international has the perfect physique for the Premier League. He is a powerful, yet agile attacker and he would add a lot to our forward line. Last season, he contributed nine goals and three assists.
In the Bundesliga, he averaged 0.37 npxG and 0.2 xA per ninety minutes. This is the best underlying numbers discussed so far. Embolo is comfortable progressive the ball through passing or running with the ball.
An average of 1.99 shots per ninety minutes is on the low side, but his creative numbers are excellent.
Cody Gakpo – PSV Eindhoven
There are always talented attacking players in the Eredivisie. Gakpo is the latest to be shining in the Netherlands and he is attracting interest from Leeds United as a potential Raphinha replacement. Last season, he contributed 12 goals and 13 assists.
He averages 3.78 shots per ninety minutes, showing his high shot volume. We need to add a high volume shooter to our forward line. Gakpo can provide that and a lot more, as the number of assists shows.
Gakpo likes to run with the ball and he is capable of beating opposition defenders. He averages 2.9 dribbles per game. It would be exciting to see him in the same team as Allan Saint-Maximin.
If Leeds are interested in Gakpo and make a move, you would hope that we would also be in the race.
Benjamin Bourigeaud – Rennes
This is a name that many won’t be aware of, but the Rennes winger had an excellent 2021/22 season with Rennes. He got 11 goals and 12 assists in Ligue 1, showing the threat that he carries in the final third.
Bourigeuad averaged 0.15 npxG and 0.37 xA per ninety minutes. The former suggests that he has run hot in front of goal. However, his creative numbers are excellent, as shown by his average of 4.79 shot creating actions per ninety minutes. This puts him in the 92nd percentile among wingers.
The Frenchman is unlikely to run with the ball. Instead, he is excellent at picking up pockets of space and progressing the ball with his passing range. Bourigeaud averages 5.78 progressive passes per ninety minutes.
He doesn’t have the dynamism of Diaby or Sarr, which suggests he won’t fit the profile we are looking for. That said, his creativity numbers mean he should be on our radar.
Marcus Edwards at Sporting
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