Newcastle United are on the verge of a huge £300M takeover from Saudi investors amid the Covid-19 crisis.
With the shrewd spender Mike Ashley out of the club, the new investors will surely be looking to propel Newcastle up the table to the European qualification places.
However, when compared with the possible contenders of Leicester City and Wolves, the current Magpies squad lacks in quality to make the difference between mid-table and the Europa League.
With that in mind, I’ve drawn up a few players that current manager Steve Bruce should be taking a closer look at going into the summer transfer window
Victor Osimhen - Lille
Since the days of legendary striker Alan Shearer, Newcastle haven’t ever really replaced him. With the latest signing Joelinton only scoring once in the league this campaign, Bruce may turn to other options.
Nigerian attacker Victor Osimhen has been quietly racking up the goals for Lille in Ligue 1 this season. Having joined in the summer window of 2019, Osimhen has scored 13 goals in the league this season, the same amount as Neymar.
Aged only 21, Osimhen has a huge potential, and a move to the Premier League with Newcastle may set him on the path to stardom.
However, despite only having played half a season in the top flight of French football, Lille value the striker at roughly €100M, which would be the highest ever fee for an African player.
Said Benrahma- Brentford
Brentford superstar Said Benrahma has been terrorising Championship defences for the last two seasons. With the Bees’ promotion fate up in the air, Benrahma may follow in the footsteps of former teammate Neal Maupay and move to the Premier League in the summer.
With 21 goals and 25 assists in the last two seasons, the newly internationally capped Algerian has been on the radar of multiple Premier League clubs but may be tempted to the North-East by the ambition of the new owners.
If Benrahma were to join the Magpies, a wing pairing of Benrahma and Saint-Maximin would be sure to make the opposing fullbacks quake in their boots.
Should Brentford not be promoted, a fee of around £25M should be enough to tempt the Bees into cashing in on one of their prized assets.
Arturo Vidal- Barcelona
The move from Camp Nou to St James’ Park is a journey which is rarely made. Only Patrick Kluivert has made the switch before and even then, it was a free transfer.
Newcastle’s current midfield lacks skill and technical ability, and experienced Chilean Vidal would be the perfect addition to a bland mix of midfielders.
With over 115 international caps, the 32-year-old veteran would sit perfectly in a remodelled midfield, especially if other key signings are made to score as well as defend well.
Because of his age, Vidal wouldn’t be more of a stopgap until a younger player is found but would bring a lot of publicity to a team that has lacked as such for years and with the bookies having Vidal joining the Magpies at 4/1, it’s certainly a possibility.
Amine Harit- Schalke
Since joining German side Schalke in 2017, Amine Harit has developed into one of Europe’s most underrated playmakers.
Although having struggled initially in his second season with Schalke, he’s revitalised himself this season, with seven goals and seven assists in all competitions this season, Harit has made his way onto the radar of several top clubs.
With seven appearances for Morocco aged just 22, Harit has a bright future ahead of him, and could turn into one of the best African midfielders of the past couple of decades.
A fee of around £35M should be enough to tempt Schalke into selling up, and with his best years ahead of him, Harit could be a key member of a team to send Newcastle to the next level.
Nordi Mukiele- RB Leipzig
With all eyes on his teammate and compatriot Dayot Upamecano, Nordi Mukiele’s recent seasons at Leipzig have been pushed aside, but a super performance at White Hart Lane earlier in the season wowed many across the continent.
Newcastle may have a chance to swoop in to buy Mukiele, whilst uncapped for France, has been a stalwart in a formidable defence which has taken Leipzig to Champions League football for the third successive season.
Because of the interest shown, Leipzig may decide to jack up the prices of their players, but only being valued at £20M, Mukiele may be an absolute steal at anything below £30M if this season’s performances are anything to go by.
Of course, the current Newcastle squad will need a huge amount of investment and ambition shown from the new owners, but to get Newcastle United back into continental football, it’d be more than worth it.
Naturally, more signings would need to be made, but I think that these five would be a good place to start, fixing the key problems and building for the future at the same time.
This article was written exclusively for golear.co.uk