Newcastle United always knew this summer would involve a lot of higher-up teams battling it out for Alexander Isak’s services.
Isak’s 23-goal heroics in Premier League action just weren’t going to go unnoticed, with Liverpool targeting the lethal Swede intensely this off-season, subsequently, only to fail in their advances.
The Magpies aren’t out of the woods just yet, however, when it comes to rich teams sniffing around for their star-man, with a move now allegedly on the table for Isak to move out to the Saudi Pro League for an eye-watering £200m.
Newcastle have asserted back that the ex-Real Sociedad goal machine isn’t for sale under any circumstances, but they will surely have some strikers up their sleeves anyway this summer to try and improve their forward line even more, just in case the unthinkable occurs.
Newcastle line up swoop for £78m attacker
Already, the Magpies have forked out an extortionate £55m to land Anthony Elanga to enhance their personnel down the wings.
This spending could continue with a striker now being obtained, with reports suggesting that Newcastle are looking at Victor Osimhen as one viable option, alongside another lethal finisher from the Bundesliga – away from earlier interest in Hugo Ekitike – who would cost Eddie Howe’s Toon a mighty £78m.
This is, of course, RB Leipzig hero Benjamin Sesko.
That’s according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook who recently stated that Newcastle might well rekindle their interest in the Slovenian machine very soon, having been dealt blow after blow with other centre-forward targets.
It’s stated that Howe has admired Sesko for some time now, with a move finally getting over the line for the 22-year-old striker to move to Tyneside, representing a better deal than landing James Trafford in between the sticks, who looks to now be Manchester City-bound.
Why signing Sesko would be a better signing than Trafford
Trafford is yet another unfortunate transfer saga that has gone wrong for the Toon, with it being well-known since last summer that the Magpies were keen on the England U21 international as their future number one goalkeeper.
However, he looks set to return to boyhood employers Man City over making that expected next step to St James’ Park, but Newcastle won’t want to be up in arms about this for too long, considering they do have a dependable top-flight keeper already at the club in Nick Pope.
Whilst Trafford is the talk of the town back at Burnley for his unbelievable 29 clean sheets in Championship action last season, he has struggled in the top division previously, with a worrying 62 goals leaked across the 23/24 season with the Clarets.
On the contrary, Pope has always looked at ease with the same pressures on his back, as seen in his bumper 73 clean sheets at the elite level from 221 outings, with more pressing captures like Sesko’s now surely prioritised over seeking out improvements in net.
Alexander Isak
42
27
6
3319
Callum Wilson
22
1
0
474
William Osula
19
2
2
456
The table above really does hammer home why Newcastle are going all out to try and win some potent strikers this summer, with Isak leading the line on his own for most of the campaign, as Callum Wilson and William Osula only chipped in with a meagre three strikes in reserve.
With Wilson now off the Toon books, there is only the ex-Sheffield United youngster at Howe’s disposal away from the in-demand Swede, which is where Sesko might well come to the rescue.
Amazingly, Sesko – who has also been on Arsenal’s radar – would only find himself five short of Isak’s tally for Leipzig last campaign when registering a blistering 21 strikes, taking his overall count in Germany to a ridiculous 39 goals from 87 clashes.
One branded a “monster” by football journalist Eduardo Hagn for his ice-cold ability to fire home chance after chance, it does feel as if this is a splurge Newcastle can justify, especially if it goes down to the wire surrounding Isak’s future on Tyneside.
On the contrary, losing out on Trafford is unlikely to keep the Toon up at night for very long.
Ekitike 2.0: Newcastle plotting move for "chaotic" £65m Wissa alternative
Newcastle need to complement Alexander Isak with a new striker this summer.
2 ByAngus Sinclair
