Newcastle United have failed to win any of their opening two matches and are desperate to sign a centre forward
Newcastle United’s 3-2 defeat at Liverpool was the latest in a long line of results which have ended in stoppage-time heartbreak against the Reds.
Stan Collymore’s winner in 1996 and the immediate aftermath which saw former manager Kevin Keegan draped over the hoardings still leaves some fans of a certain generation in a cold sweat while younger supporters only need to go back a couple of years to Darwin Nunez’s stoppage time winner in August 2023 or Fabio Carvalho’s decisive strike at Anfield’s 98th minute winner 12 months earlier.
It was a harsh outcome for a side that showed great pride and passion to fight back from two goals down despite playing the bulk of the match with 10 men and almost all of the occasion without a recognised centre forward. It’s a match Newcastle fans will feel they could have comfortably won had Alexander Isak not been on strike or even if the club had of signed a proven centre forward without relying on Anthony Gordon in a makeshift role.
Newcastle gave everything to try and win the game but came out of the occasion with nothing to show for their efforts and further problems in the front-line with Gordon now facing a three-game suspension for a needless late tackle on Virgil van Dijk.
Despite showing great creativity, it’s a result which only amplifies the club’s need for a striker, and with the clock ticking it looks increasingly difficult for the club to find the required target, with the latest development seeing the club have an offer in the region of £50m turned down for Jorgen Strand Larsen of Wolves.
Who will Newcastle United target before transfer deadline day?
Newcastle United need a minimum of one centre forward to be signed before the end of the summer window. Doing so is essential if they are to stand a realistic chance of competing in the upper echelons of the Premier League table while giving a reasonable account of themselves in the Champions League and domestic cup competitions. The transfer saga involving Alexander Isak has been well documented throughout the summer, with the Swede seeking a move to Liverpool - and the Magpies stubbornly repeating the message that the former Real Sociedad man is not for sale.
Whether Isak can be reintegrated into the squad remains to be seen but as of yet the Magpies haven’t even signed a replacement for the recently-released Callum Wilson after his exit to West Ham United. Yoane Wissa has pushed for a move to St. James’ Park but a reported asking price of £60m has left the Magpies pursuing other targets. While it’s claimed by The Athletic that Wolves will not listen to any offers for Jorgen Strand Larsen after turning down an opening offer of £50m. There’s also been failed moves for Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike (for the third time) along with rumoured targets such as Liam Delap and Joao Pedro failing to go to plan.
At this stage, Newcastle fans are scratching their heads wondering if the club will even sign a striker, but one thing for certain is that there’s almost certain to be a last minute scramble to try and get someone over the line.
“I don’t think the club will allow that situation to happen,” Eddie Howe said. “We certainly can’t go through the season with no recognised striker at the football club — and that’s no disrespect to Will Osula. I think he’s doing really well and progressing really well, but he’s got limited experience in the Premier League.”
Newcastle United should target Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic
Wolverhampton Wanderers are expected to price Newcastle out of any move for Jorgen Strand Larsen. The Old Gold have lost two major stars in Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri already this summer and fear selling the Norwegian would heavily jeopardise their hopes of survival in the Premier League, particularly with them having a limited window of opportunity to replace him. It means, barring a rapid turnaround of events in that saga, Newcastle must look at alternatives in that position. One name that’s been linked with a move to the Premier League for a number of years is Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic, and he could prove an excellent target for the North East club.
Vlahovic boasts a record of 88 goals and 17 assists in 203 matches at Serie A level, and has scored 14 times in 36 international matches while playing for Serbia, where he often plays alongside ex-Newcastle forward Aleksandar Mitrovic. He rose to prominence when he scored 21 times in 37 league appearances for Fiorentina in 2020/21 and was very close to joining Arsenal the following January before changing his mind at the eleventh hour to complete a £66.6m move to Juventus.
Vlahovic is a big powerful centre forward at 6ft 3, and at 25-years-of-age, he’s arguably in the prime of his career as a footballer. He’s gifted with excellent ball control, immense strength and an excellent eye for goal which has seen him be compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “If we talk about players, I certainly liked Ibra more for his character and the desire to never give up. He never allowed anyone to command him,” said Vlahovic in an interview with Dazn, via One Football.
Vlahovic has an overall record of 59 goals in 146 games in a Juventus shirt and a record of six goals in 16 appearances at Champions League level. However, it’s suspected that new boss Igor Tudor is willing to cash in on the forward after already signing Jonathan David, with many outlets reporting that Randal Kolo Muani is also a top target. The Serbian had been heavily linked with AC Milan throughout the summer, in a potential reunion with Massimo Allegri. However, that particular transfer looks unlikely, according to Corriere dello Sport, due to the striker’s wage demands.
This development could open the door to Newcastle to sign the striker. Particularly if there is substance to the claims that he could be available for just £33m. Vlahovic scored 17 in 49 appearances last term for the Old Lady, including 10 in the league. He was named as a substitute on the opening day against Parma but ultimately scored after appearing as a substitute in the final 10 minutes of the contest.
Ultimately, Vlahovic is the same age as Larsen, reportedly nearly £30m cheaper. While he’s also blessed with experience of playing for one of the biggest clubs in world football while also competing in the Champions League. His wages may be a complicated barrier to overcome but given his price tag, he could potentially be a dream solution to Newcastle’s ongoing striker crisis.
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