Wolves could find it tough to keep a striker if Newcastle United come knocking.
Newcastle United could reportedly go shopping at Wolverhampton Wanderers as they seek to sign a replacement for star striker Alexander Isak this summer.
The Magpies, currently in a tricky tug-of-war with Isak over a potential Premier League record transfer to Liverpool, have been let down in pursuit of several centre-forward targets. Benjamin Sesko opted for Manchester United, Hugo Ekitike chose Anfield over St. James’ Park and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea, among others.
This frustration in the market has led to Newcastle considering options a little more outside the box. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa has been strongly linked throughout the past few weeks and there’s been speculation over a potential swoop for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. But there’s one player who could trump the rest – and he belongs to Wolves.
Newcastle swoop for Strand Larsen makes sense
Jorgen Strand Larsen has attracted attention from far and wide thanks to a stunning debut Premier League season, so he could be a great outside option for Newcastle. The Norway international scored 14 goals in 35 English top-tier outings last term, prompting Wolves to activate their option to buy for around £23 million, widely regarded as a bargain fee.
According to the Daily Mail, Strand Larsen can be considered a ‘dark horse’ in Newcastle’s striker hunt in case they miss out on more alternative targets. Albeit not as fast as Isak, Strand Larsen is still pretty quick when he gets up to speed and proved he’s clinical when presented with opportunities.
Strand Larsen was the Premier League’s tenth top scorer last season and ranked in the top 20 per cent of centre-forwards for non-penalty expected goals, with 10.27. Only 14 per cent of strikers could beat Strand Larsen’s tallies of 34 shots on target and 67 aerial duels won as he proved to be a nuisance for opposition defenders.
One aspect of Strand Larsen’s game that isn’t so visible in his underlying data is his movement. Matheus Cunha understandably took plenty of the credit for Wolves’ success last season but Strand Larsen was only one goal behind, with many of his chances coming as a result of late runs into the box and an ability to peel away from centre-halves.
Wolves must keep Strand Larsen at all costs
As much as Strand Larsen could be a great signing for Newcastle, Wolves simply cannot afford to lose him this summer. Even if the Magpies were to table a huge bid that would represent significant and immediate profit, it wouldn’t be worth taking as there could potentially be as much as Wolves’ Premier League status on the line.
Football is of course a team sport and no side stays up thanks to one individual, but Strand Larsen can be instrumental to Wolves this season. The Norwegian may no longer have the service of Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo, but, as mentioned, it’s his clever runs that so often lead to his goalscoring opportunities.
Many are tipping the three newly-promoted teams - Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland - to go straight back down but that’s by no means a certainty and Wolves could be in the mix. Strand Larsen’s goals could prove crucial, especially if new attacking signings Fer Lopez and Jhon Arias don’t live up to expectations. Every player has his price, but Wolves should turn a blind eye to any bids if Newcastle come calling.
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