Earlier this week, CEO Darren Eales discussed our improved PSR situation and admitted the club are “excited about the summer ahead.”
It’s been a tough few transfer windows for the club, with a lack of first-team additions a constant theme that will almost certainly change for the better this summer now our financial position has eased.
A right-winger and right-sided centre-back are likely to be top priorities, while reports suggest another striker is also wanted as an ageing and injury-prone Callum Wilson nears the end of his contract.
High-level interest in Alexander Isak’s feels inevitable and while the club have every intention to keep him on Tyneside via a lucrative new deal, contingency plans must be made just in case a mega-money exit does occur.
As revealed by The Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle have shortlisted three strikers as potential summer targets.
In his latest Newcastle Confidential piece released last night, he reports that Ipswich’s Liam Delay, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Lille’s Jonathan David have been shortlisted.
It’s believed our recruitment team are monitoring Delap’s situation at Portman Road, joining Chelsea and Man Utd in taking a close look at the powerful 22-year-old this season.
Elsewhere, it’s thought chief scout Steve Nickson has watched Lille’s Jonathan David – out of contract this summer – and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko closely, with the recruitment expert a long-term admirer of both.
Hope insists that Newcastle’s plan A is to keep Isak, with talks over a new deal planned this summer, but sporting director Paul Mitchell wants contingency plans in place to ensure we are not ‘caught cold’ should the Swede’s situation change.
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In an ideal world, it would be the dream to have Isak sign a new deal and see a top young talent like Liam Delap join alongside the Swede, lacing our squad with two quality strikers.
The problem is, replacing Callum Wilson with a £50m+ forward is not just costly but hard to manage from a squad dynamic perspective.
We play one up front – as most in modern day football now do – and any quality striker, whether it be Delap, David or Sesko, are unlikely to join unless they are coming as the main man.
If we can keep Isak, they would not be the main man for as long as he is on Tyneside, meaning any Wilson replacement is likely to be an unproven talent happy to share minutes as they learn, or an experienced option happy to play their part if when opportunities arise.