Newcastle Utd News

Report: Newcastle United lead race for 6ft forward losing possession 10x a game

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Newcastle United lead Leicester City and Fulham in a race to sign Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne, according to talkSPORT.

Bonne only joined the Addicks in the summer as he made the leap from non-league football with Leyton Orient to the Championship, having struck 23 goals in 46 National League appearances last term as the O’s secured the title and a booked a spot in League Two.

Moving up three tiers has not proven to be too much of a challenge for the 24-year-old, as Bonne has seemingly instantly settled into his surroundings at the Valley, where he has six goals in 14 second-tier outings thus far.

The Ipswich-born, one-time Zimbabwe international’s goals have even come against promotion-chasing clubs like Leeds United, Fulham, Bristol City, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday.

Bonne joined Charlton from Leyton Orient in a deal worth £200,000 in July, with representative Matthew Halford instrumental in facilitating the transfer.

His instant success in the Championship has alerted Newcastle, Leicester and Fulham to his potential, with Bonne understood to have gained attentive glares from numerous sides who could pursue his signature.

But the likely limited number of minutes a move to Leicester or Fulham would return is seen as a restrictive factor in a potential transfer to the King Power Stadium or Craven Cottage.

A move to St. James’ Park is seen to be more the more preferable option at present, as we would be expected to offer Bonne a faster route into first-team football.

Bonne is said to be a mature player, having demonstrated great self-control this year after losing former manager Justin Edinburgh, who the forward credits with helping him fall in love with football again.

As well as hitting six goals in 14 league appearances – 12 started – Bonne has averaged 1.2 shots per game and has only missed one big chance to date, per Sofa Score statistics.

The 6ft striker has also averaged 26.4 touches per game, plus 0.5 key passes, a 61% pass success rate, won 4.5 duels, and turned over possession 10.0 times.

Should we look to sign Bonne in January?

Yes, absolutely

Wait 'til the summer

No, he isn't good enough

Joelinton has taken the most shots of any Newcastle forward with 19 to Allan Saint-Maximin’s 12, Andy Carroll’s 2 and Yoshinori Muto’s 1, while Dwight Gayle is yet to record an effort on goal in the Premier League this term

Joelinton also leads the Toon for big chances missed in the top-flight – with the Brazilian and Saint-Maximin both scuppering three apiece – and possession lost (197), but ranks first among the aforementioned attackers for key passes (15) and is second for ground duels won (39 to Saint-Maximin’s 74).

In other Newcastle United news, a Sky Sports pundit expects a £40k-p/w Toon man to force his way out of St. James’ Park in January.

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