With the January transfer window around the corner, the transfer rumours are beginning to build – and it seems that Newcastle are after a goalscorer.
One which is allegedly on their shortlist was playing in the non-league this time last year – Macauley Bonne.
The Charlton attacker has only played 14 league games for the club, but that’s been enough for other clubs to stand up and notice, according to talkSPORT.
The report from the radio station goes onto state that Toon are leading the race for the forward and are competing with sides such as Leicester City and Fulham.
Zimbabwean international Bonne was bought for just £200,000 in the summer from Leyton Orient, for which he scored an impressive 45 goals in 91 games for the club. Upon his return to the football league at The Valley, it seemed as if he wasn’t going to be a regular with Lyle Taylor being in such razor-sharp form, however, his injury forced Bonne to get some game time, and he hasn’t looked out of sorts at all.
Six league goals have gone in for the player after making his Championship debut which has been enough to catch the eye of these three clubs, however, Newcastle have to seriously consider whether this 24-year-old would improve this team?
Well, looking at the team’s statistics, Macauley Bonne might not be the perfect fit.
It’s no secret that under Bruce the Magpies have preferred to go long using their 5-4-1 system. They have two centre forwards who usually play in Joelinton and Andy Carroll, who at 186cm and 193cm respectively, are suitably tall to play long balls to.
Additionally, Newcastle’s average pass succession rate of 73 per cent shows that they have little interest in building from the back, but prefer to make longer and more deadly balls when they can.
In that case, bearing in mind they also have Dwight Gayle who has barely played who is much greater at getting in behind and using his pace to cause problems, there doesn’t seem to be much of a need for Bonne who is just 180cm tall.
If Newcastle want more goals within their current system, then they might be better off looking to find either a forward with a better goal record who can still act as a target man, or look to find someone who is more potent on the wings, such as Jarrod Bowen.
While he has been impressive so far this season, six goals in 14 is simply not enough evidence to suggest that A) he is cut out for the Premier League or B) the club could find a way of fitting him into their current style of play – so, on the whole, it’s a no from me.