Though Newcastle United proved unable to add to their side in the closing stages of the transfer window, activity is still on the cards. Indeed, with clubs in this country able to do business with each other until October 16h, players on the fringes of first-team proceedings could still depart as Steve Bruce looks to shift on any deadwood.
According to Football Insider, both Watford and Nottingham Forest are keen on signing Christian Atsu. Out of the picture these days given the strength and depth available to Bruce in wide areas following the addition of Ryan Fraser and the converting of Joelinton to compete with Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron, the Ghanian has featured just once all season.
Believed to be one of a number of players who rarely feature and still cost the club up to £5m a year, moving him on – even if on loan with some of the wages subsided – would be excellent news. Frankly, there is no place for him in the squad when you consider just how important Saint-Maximin is and that the other players perviously mentioned are largely battling for one position on the other side.
Atsu never proved prolific in the Championship back in 2016 but his stunning free-kick against Cardiff to help Newcastle seal the title rather dramatically will live long in the memory and perhaps, given the stature of the two second-tier clubs chasing him, we could see him back in the Premier League one day.