Like the rest of the Premier League, Newcastle was unable to make any significant acquisitions in January due to financial constraints, but things might be very different in the summer.
Many teams, including Newcastle, were interested in Serhous Guirassy. Although his £15 million release clause was not fulfilled, Romano is stating that it will become active once more in the summer.
Newcastle can still make bargain buy in the summer
It seemed almost unbelievable that despite his stellar performance for Stuttgart, no one took the opportunity to sign Guirassy in January. Surprisingly, it was the striker himself who opted to remain at the club.
In the ongoing season, the 27-year-old has scored an impressive 17 goals in 14 Bundesliga games, accumulating a total of 21 goal contributions in 16 matches across all competitions – a truly exceptional record.
What added to the frustration was the revelation that he was available for just £15 million, a seemingly reasonable price. However, Newcastle, unfortunately, lacked the financial resources to meet even that modest fee had he chosen to leave his current club.
There is hope that in the coming six months, with the influx of Champions League and Adidas money, there will be more financial flexibility. This may open the possibility for Newcastle to revisit the prospect of signing Guirassy and bolster their attacking options.
Newcastle’s attack needs an overhaul
There is a growing anticipation that Callum Wilson will be offloaded in the summer due to persistent injury concerns and just one year remaining on his current contract. The club is likely to seek a transfer deal to capitalize on his value.
In such a scenario, Alexander Isak, who has also faced injury challenges in the last 18 months, would be the sole recognized striker at the club, a situation considered insufficient.
Ideally, manager Eddie Howe would prefer having three strikers at his disposal, allowing for rotation and depth. This setup might include two main strikers sharing playing time, along with a third, possibly a younger attacker content with being the third choice and patiently waiting for opportunities in the first team.
There appears to be an opportunity for Guirassy to join and secure significant playing time, especially if Isak continues to grapple with fitness issues. The key question, however, is whether the club has identified Guirassy as a primary target for this role.