Lots of Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media to reports by the Chronicle, addressing the six players the Toon have been tipped to sign in a summer spending spree.
The Magpies are currently 12th in the Premier League standings having won eight and drawn seven of the 25 fixtures played under Steve Bruce, and are expected to use the next transfer window to add more weapons to the boss’ ranks in order to build on the work he has already carried out.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Danny Rose is considered as the most likely player to be acquired in a permanent deal come the summer, having already arrived on Tyneside for a loan spell after being shunned by Jose Mourinho in North London.
Rose is yet to start a game in any competition since his January move, though came off the bench for the final eleven minutes against Norwich City and should be in contention to open Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Another player backed to join Bruce in the North East is PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo, with the club expected to acquire options to support Joelinton.
Gakpo was linked with a €10million (£8.4m) move to Newcastle in January and has scored five goals across all competitions this term, with the 20-year-old finding the net in three of his last 20 Eredivisie appearances.
Which area of the team needs to be prioritised in the summer?
Goalkeeper
Defence
Midfield
Attack
Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos is also put forward as another attacking option for Bruce to court, with the Colombian expected to have an array of options on the table this summer after scoring 29 goals in 39 games over all competitions.
The 23-year-old scored twice against FC Porto and Feyenoord respectively in the Europa League Group Stage earlier this season, but has never found the back of the net in any of his 12 meetings with Scottish rivals Celtic.
Brentford’s Said Benrahma is put forward as a skilful attacking option following reports that the club scouted the Algerian against Middlesbrough at the weekend, while AC Milan’s Franck Kessie is noted as someone who could add ‘some grit and steel’ to Bruce’s midfield.
It was suggested in January that Kessie was being lined up as a late window signing after Milan placed a €25m (£21m) valuation on the Ivorian.
LOSC Lille’s Boubakary Soumare is also mentioned, though recent reports have suggested that Bruce’s number one January target is unlikely to be courted again after seeing a potential €60m deal fall through last month.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to the Chronicle’s report…
Please no
— brian tait (@britait) February 10, 2020
We won’t sign any of them. #NUFC
— Allan Brough (@AllanBrough) February 11, 2020
Players Newcastle tipped to sign (before the standard July/August takeover story)
— Chris Kelly (@chriskelly1985) February 11, 2020
No, he dives, cheats, fouls, hothead, easily wound up, 7 reds, 12 games v Celtic still hasn’t scored, I wouldn’t have him given
— Moggy45 (@john19551969) February 11, 2020
Danny Rose the only one I’d go for, much better players out there
— Nate79 (@natelr9879) February 10, 2020
Morelos’ attitude towards the game is appalling and very unreliable. Soumare has already said he doesn’t want to sign. Rose brings experience but is too old and the other two do not have premier league experience. Need to sign some young players with top flight experience
— Matthew Salvin (@salvin_matthew) February 10, 2020
End of summer window and we tried to sign 6 players but feel 1 free transfer was enough incoming. This will be the outcome in the summer
— Newcastleno9 (@Seanmur03986745) February 10, 2020
Kessie would be tremendous
— Dayle Barron (@DayleBarron) February 10, 2020
In other Newcastle United news, the club have been linked with a €25m forward previously likened to PSG star Neymar.