Eddie Howe is desperate for a striker, and Newcastle’s manager has several targets on his radar, but for the moment, none of them looks close to completing a deal.
Various players have been linked with the Magpies over the past few days, and besides the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League predictions, Newcastle’s news section generated the most traffic on major football websites around England.
And how wouldn’t it when Magpies chase the striker who would join Chris Wood and Allan Saint-Maximin in the offensive line? Newcastle has several players who are attacking midfielders, but Howe wants a striker in order to complete his system and shape the team according to his thoughts.
The Striker Search
The two latest targets are the Swedish international Alexander Isak and the Spanish national team member, Raul de Tomas. Both have emerged in the media over the past few days, and it appears that the Magpies went after them pretty decisively, especially in Isak’s case.
Real Sociedad wants around £50 million, which is a problem for the Magpies, who would then spend their remaining budget for this summer. The positive thing, in this case, is that Isak and Sociedad allegedly want to close the deal. After plenty of staling and delaying in their other negotiations, this is refreshing news for the Magpies’ fans, who were frustrated due to the lack of signings in the attack.l
Moussa Diaby, Hugo Ekitike, Lucas Paqueta, all these players were “on the verge” of signing a deal with Newcastle, but none actually arrived at St. James’ Park in the end. Either the players made some problems like Ekitike, or some other issues emerged, but the point is that Newcastle didn’t solve its Achilles heel – the attack, in this transfer window.
One other name that emerged over the last day or two is Espanyol’s striker Raul de Tomas, who is also a member of Spain’s national team. The 27-year-old is an experienced player who scored 17 La Liga goals last year in 34 appearances. He is much cheaper than Isak, and his value is around £20 million.
Of course, he isn’t the top wish for Howe, but kind of a replacement or a forced move if all his other plans fail. It is the same with Armando Borja, who might end up in Chelsea after all, and spoil Howe’s intentions.
Nobody is talking about Victor Osimhen anymore, as it seems that the Nigerian striker is off the table for Newcastle’s management. There were some speculations that the Magpies might offer £85 million or more for Napoli’s star, but for the moment, that seems unrealistic.
Howe is in a predicament, and he needs to make tough decisions. A striker is what this squad requires, especially because Newcastle has high hopes for the upcoming campaign, which is soon to start, by the way. The team wants to reach the international stage next season, which is a big task. However, if it is fulfilled, we are pretty sure that the management will unlock the bank and give Howe much more funds to strengthen the team.
Where Newcastle Stands
It would be wonderful to see Newcastle’s name in the Europa League picks section. The current team has solid potential, with several signings already been made in other lines, yet all that could be worthless if Howe fails to complete the entire construction of the unit.
Just to remind you, the Magpies landed center-back Sven Botman from Lilles, left-back Matt Targett from Aston Villa, and Burnley’s goalkeeper and one of the best in his position in the EPL, Nick Pope.
Many of the fans expected to see more, especially after the Saudi takeover. The management and the manager decided to go step by step while forming the team, instead of buying superstars and throwing them on the pile as some other clubs did in the past. Regardless, adding a striker will make Newcastle a popular choice for Europa League predictions today.