To say that Newcastle United had a week to forget would be the understatement of the year.
A 7-2 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona was bad enough, but the defeat against Sunderland which followed has led to bigger questions than ever for Eddie Howe to answer.
In a game that saw Nick Woltemade take up a midfield role yet again, the main topic for the Newcastle boss to address surrounds his attack.
Newcastle pair Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade
In one of the biggest games of the season, the club's record-signing striker was nowhere to be seen in the frontline, nor was his other £55m striker, Yoane Wissa.
It's a major problem for Newcastle, who seemingly wasted over £100m on attacking reinforcements at a time when they've not exactly got an extensive amount to spend.
Where Howe can revive Newcastle's attack
On paper, Newcastle are one of the richest clubs in the world. Many believed that PIF's ownership would lead to some absurd deals and consistent Champions League qualification. That did not take PSR and the club's disastrous investment into account, however.
The reality is that a side like Newcastle do not have the wriggle room to get things wrong year after year.
The record sale of Alexander Isak should have provided them with that breathing room, but all it did was panic those in charge at St James' Park. The money left as quickly as it arrived and it's fair to say that Newcastle have not seen the fruits of their labour ever since.
25/26 Stats Games Goals Assists
Nick Woltemade 45 10 5
Yoane Wissa 22 3 1
Anthony Elanga 44 3 2
Despite costing a combined £179m, Woltemade, Wissa and Anthony Elanga have scored a combined 15 goals in their debut season. It should come as no surprise that Howe has turned to Anthony Gordon to lead the line, but that's not to say he hasn't got a replacement lined up this summer.
Indeed, according to Caught Offside, Newcastle have already opened talks to sign Marcus Thuram.
They suggest that both the Magpies and Aston Villa have gone beyond just 'casual scouting' and have now made early contact to explore the conditions of a potential transfer this summer.
Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram celebrates scoring their first goal
Thuram has a market value of just below £60m but it's widely thought he could fetch around £73m, which is the price of his release clause.
How Thuram compares to Anthony Gordon
As impressive as Gordon has been at times, he is simply not a striker. The former Everton man is best-suited to that left-wing role when he has the perfect No.9 to play off. And that's where Thuram should come into play.
The Frenchman is an experienced forward these days, having played his part in long Champions League runs, and formed a deadly duo with Lautaro Martinez at Inter Milan. Now, with a new challenge calling, he could transform Newcastle's attack.
25/26 League Stats Thuram Gordon
Minutes 1,479 1,743
Goals 7 6
Assists 3 2
xG 6.73 8.79
Successful dribbles 15 33
Chances Created 23 26
Shots P90 3.53 2.43
Gordon's strengths are still useful in Newcastle's current circumstances. His ability to run in behind has generated plenty of chances, but he has struggled to convert those chances in the same way that an out-and-out No.9 would.
The former Everton man has also struggled to have that natural striker's instinct, taking fewer shots than Thuram throughout the current campaign.
The Inter sensation, meanwhile, has outperformed his expected goals tally and tends to shoot whenever given the opportunity rather than taking the ball one-on-one like Gordon often does.
It's those small differences which can play such a large part. Even if their outputs aren't much different, there is clear evidence to suggest that Thuram would outperform Gordon in a Newcastle side that has generated almost nine xG for their forward.
Marcus Thuram
If the Magpies have the money to spend this summer, then they could do a lot worse than someone like the Frenchman, who could even form a partnership with Gordon.
Said to be "like Alexander Isak but older" by analyst Spencer Mossman, he's been part of an incredibly successful duo with Martinez over the years. Now, he may get the chance to do the same at St James' Park as Newcastle aim to transform a blunt frontline this summer.
Howe Related
[Newcastle must sack Howe to hire "the best manager in the Premier League"](https://www.footballfancast.com/newcastle-must-sack-howe-to-hire-unai-emery/ "Newcastle must sack Howe to hire "the best manager in the Premier League"")
Eddie Howe is skating on thin ice after a terrible week for Newcastle United.