Journalist Fabrizio Romano is now suggesting that one of Newcastle United’s January targets will be available for the same price in the summer.
Newcastle weren’t able to make any big January purchases thanks to a lack of funds, much like the rest of the Premier League, but it could be a completely different story in the summer.
Serhous Guirassy was wanted by a number of clubs, Newcastle included, and while no one paid his £15m release clause, Romano is claiming that the same clause will be active again in the summer.
Newcastle can still make bargain buy in the summer
It was almost unbelievable that nobody managed to pull the trigger and sign Guirassy in January after the season he’s having for Stuttgart, but it was the striker himself who chose to stay at the club.
So far this season, the 27-year-old has netted 17 times in 14 Bundesliga games and has recorded a total of 21 goal contributions in 16 games across all competitions, a truly ‘outstanding‘ record.
That’s why it was so maddening to hear that he was available for only £15m, and yet Newcastle didn’t even have enough to afford that price if he had chosen to leave his club.
The hope will be that there is so much more to spend in six months time, however, with Champions League and Adidas money coming in, so they may return to this deal once again to find a new attacker.
Newcastle’s attack needs an overhaul
There’s almost an expectation now that Callum Wilson will be sold in the summer as his injury worries continue and just one year left on his current contract, so they’ll want to cash in while they still can.
That would leave Alexander Isak, another who has had his injury troubles in the last 18 months, as the only recognised striker at the club which is definitely not strong enough.
Ideally, Eddie Howe would have three strikers at his disposal with two of them rotating between each other and perhaps a third, younger attacker who is happy to be third choice and wait for his opportunity to come into the first team.
There’s certainly space for Guirassy to come in and play plenty of minute, particularly if Isak continues to struggle with his fitness, it’s just whether the club have identified him as a key target.
