Newcastle could be in the market to sign a new forward given the struggles of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa
Brazil forward Igor Thiago and Rennes forward Esteban Lepaul (R)
Brazil forward Igor Thiago and Rennes forward Esteban Lepaul (R)(Image: Getty Images)
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It seems incredible that after spending £124million on two strikers last summer, Newcastle United could be in the market for a new forward again heading into next season.
But here we are, seven months into the current season and Anthony Gordon, a winger by trade, being preferred up front to £69million club record signing Nick Woltemade and £55million summer arrival Yoane Wissa.
Wissa took three months to make his debut after injury and has offered just three goals since, despite scoring 20 for Brentford last season. The 29-year-old was an expensive gamble given his age profiled and, right now, that gamble looks to have not paid off.
Woltemade is a fantastic footballer, who made a terrific start at Newcastle. His 10-goal haul is not to be sniffed at but only one of those has come this calendar year.
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There are doubts over whether he suits Newcastle's intense style of play and the fact he has spent the last two months playing in midfield won't have done his confidence about winning over those doubters a great deal of good.
With seven games remaining this season, unless something changes there is a possibility one of those two players will be moved on and Newcastle will look to sign a replacement.
Igor Thiago was monitored by Newcastle scouts earlier this season but his price tag has sky rocketed given his 19-goal haul in the Premier League this season has only been bettered by Manchester City's Erling Haaland (22).
The 24-year-old won his first two Brazil caps last month, scoring his first international goal in the process, and he is in line to represent the Selecao at this summer's World Cup. With all that in mind, it is believed the Bees will hold out for a club record fee this summer for Thiago, surpassing the £71million paid by Manchester United last summer to sign Bryan Mbeumo.
That is a market Newcastle won't be shopping in this summer, with Ross Wilson hinting back in December that the Magpies will target moves for players outside of the Premier League because they represent greater value.
Thiago scored goals in Bulgaria for Ludogorets before moving to Belgium where he plundered goals for Club Brugge. It was from there that Brentford recognised his talents and made their move in the summer of 2024.
Instead of spending huge money and paying a Premier League tax on signing Thiago, United would perhaps be better served trying to sign the 'next Igor Thiago' from abroad for less money and they can develop them into a top Premier League performer.
One avenue they could look at is in France's Ligue 1. The two top scorers in the division are currently Strasbourg's Joaquin Panichelli and Rennes forward Esteban Lepaul.
Both players have scored 16 goals in the French top flight this season and Panichelli, 23, had just won his first call-up to the Argentina squad last month before suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury.
Lepaul, 25, has had a Jamie Vary-esque rise through the French football pyramid. He was plucked from fourth tier SAS Epinal to sign for Angers in 2024 and his goalscoring exploits across 18 months in Ligue 2 and then Ligue 1 led Rennes to sign him last summer.
When you run both of those players through DataMB's player similarity generator, Igor Thiago comes out in the top five results for both Panichelli and Lepaul. So, too, does Crystal Palace forward Jorgen Strand Larsen who Newcastle tried to sign last summer. Clearly both players have a profile Newcastle like but they would come at a fraction of the price.
Panichelli is facing up to months on the sidelines which rules out any summer move for him but Lepaul, who joined Rennes for around £12million could be a cut-price option who guarantees goals.