Charlton Athletic boss Lee Bowyer has dismissed the recent rumours claiming Newcastle United lead the race to sign Addicks forward Macauley Bonne.
The one-time Zimbabwe international only moved to the Valley in the summer from non-league side Leyton Orient, but his efforts in the second-tier this season were said to have put Newcastle, Leicester and Fulham on alert.
Bonne joined Charlton for £200,000 and has hit the ground running with six goals in 15 Championship appearances, including efforts against promotion-chasers Leeds United, Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City.
Reports claimed we would be at the front of the queue to sign Bonne if a move were put forward, as the 24-year-old would likely face a restricted route to the first-team if he opted to join Leicester or Fulham.
Our interest was refuted by later claims, which suggested rumours of the club trying to sign Bonne were wide of the mark, and that the Magpies are not one of the sides to have sounded out the striker’s situation.
Charlton boss Bowyer has now gone on record to pour cold on the initial rumours further, by stating that the noise made was purely fuelled by the forward’s agent.
“That’s his agent who has put that out there,” Bowyer told the South London Press.
Should we look to sign Bonne in January?
Yes, absolutely
Wait 'til the summer
No, he isn't good enough
It always seemed unlikely that a move for Bonne would be on the cards given his lack of football league action, but his situation may be one to keep an eye on over the second half of the season.
Should the forward continue to find the back of the net regularly, and against the sides vying for a Premier League place in 2020/21, he could make a suitable back-up option to bring in during the summer if our current strike force continues to struggle in front of the goal.
Our club-record £40million signing Joelinton has not scored since he opened his account away to Tottenham Hotspur in August, while current positional rivals Dwight Gayle, Andy Carroll and Yoshinori Muto are also yet to break the goal line in the Premier League.
In other Newcastle United news, loads of fans have been left livid at a club chief’s “dangerous” choice of words.