We reported this morning that Newcastle are again being linked with 24 year-old AFC Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson in the Sun.
Callum looks a very good player and striker seems to be one of the three positions that Rafa Benitez wants to strengthen in the January transfer window – the others being winger and creative central midfielder.
Newcastle were doing really well in the Championship until late November, but since we were surprisingly beaten by second bottom Blackburn on November 26th with a much chnaged side, we have lost the last three of six league games and have dropped to second top of the Championship behind Brighton & Hove Albion.
But we are six points clear of Reading in 3rd place but all six teams that were directly below us prior to the Boxing Day games won their games and gained 3 points on us – not good.
Saido Berahino – would be interesting signing for Newcastle
So our poor form of late may encourage Rafa Benitez to bring in some reinforcements next month to shore up our bid for promotion.
After all – not getting promoted straight back to the Premier League would be a disaster for the club and we don’t even want to think of it.
And Rafa Benitez will be the first man to know that would be a huge problem for the club.
His stellar reputation is very much on the line at Newcastle and that’s why we thought he showed so much courage in staying on at the club in May.
Callum Wilson seems to fit the bill as a potential striker signing, but another really good buy for us could be West Brom striker Saido Berahino, who becomes a free agent in June and of course he was our number one transfer target last January.
We were willing to pay out £25M for him last January and he is available next month at a much reduced price so we would have expected Newcastle to be interested in him – especially with Rafa likely to be able to get the very best out of the 23 year-old.
Everton boss Ronald Koeman is looking for a striker next month and the Toffees are said to be interested in both Callum Wilson and Saido Berahini – but we would be happy enough if we could get one of these lads in next month.
There is a decent chance that Rafa can make Saido into a top class Premier League striker and it would be a good challenge for the Spanish manager.
Rafa could certainly do that, but he will want to make sure that Saido is willing to work very hard and has that ambition – if Newcastle do sign him.
That’s something Rafa demands of all his players – hard work – which could be one reason we will not see Ben Arfa back at Newcastle.
Rafa wants the wingers to track back and help out the defense – not exactly a Ben Arfa strong point.
The news is that the mercurial Frenchman is available on loan next month from PSG.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
12 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:10 PM
Comment #1I don’t think a striker is priority. There doesn’t seem to be any trouble scoring them, it’s creating them.
bettyswallocks
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:12 PM
Comment #280bettyswallocks // Dec 28, 2016 at 1:09 PM
Welshie does seem somewhat fickle around his Welshness and support for Swansea. Perhaps his loyalty will be re ignited if his hero Pardew is given the job.
sing in the corner
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:14 PM
Comment #3No to both. Not what we need at all. Especially Berahino.
AncientC
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:20 PM
Comment #4“Rafa wants the wingers to track back and help out the defense – not exactly a Ben Arfa strong point.”
Ben Arfa isn’t a winger…
Jail for Ashley
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:24 PM
Comment #5Swallocks are they going to bring him in to shore up their defence after he expertly dismantled the job done by Tony Pulis.
nut meg
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:25 PM
Comment #6Congratulations to Mark Clattenburg who has been named as the best football referee in the world.
bettyswallocks
Dec 28, 2016 at 1:34 PM
Comment #7Jail….. Yes he will be working to show his strengths as a defensive coach as they are enough of a fret going forward.
lesh
Dec 28, 2016 at 5:11 PM
Comment #8I’m astonished Ed thinks we had submitted a serious bid of £25m for Berahino. How many times have we read about bids that weren’t?
lesh
Dec 28, 2016 at 5:13 PM
Comment #9If Rafa refuses to play with two strikers, is a quality, potential incomer going to be happy to act as a last ten minutes sub? I think not.
neverwin
Dec 28, 2016 at 6:51 PM
Comment #10There is no chance of either happening and why the need anyway.
Creative players are what is needed.
The Vicar
Dec 28, 2016 at 9:53 PM
Comment #11No to Berahino, he would be nothing but trouble (Sissoko mark II).
Wilson maybe.
Creative midfielder is priority number one. Also we need to get a left back. Why is it none of the 50 current left backs we have on the books are any good – blind spot.
dannitoon
Dec 29, 2016 at 8:14 AM
Comment #12Id get two wingers in.. ritchie has been very poor since mid September.. too much gob on him