The Express have reported that Dan Ashworth has a two-man wish list to strengthen the right wing, which has been identified as a priority area.
Newcastle are weaker down the right wing than any other part of the pitch – except maybe up front, but moves have already been made to rectify that with Hugo Ekitike seemingly en-route – Ryan Fraser is probably our best right-sided winger with only Jacob Murphy for real back up and Miguel Almiron able to fill in. Allan Saint-Maximin can do a job down the right, but prefers to operate on the opposite flank.
Moussa Diaby from Bayern Leverkusen is the club’s top target and Newcastle have been tipped to make a £55m bid for the 22 year-old Frenchman. Some outlets have suggested that Diaby could be brought in as a replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin who has been targetted by Tottenham, however the thought of both Frenchmen running down the wings, pinging balls in for Wilson and/or Ekitike is too exciting to ignore. Having both of those players on the pitch at the same time would definitely help Newcastle achieve that top eight finish they so crave.
Moussa Diaby
Should Newcastle fail to land Diaby, they also have their sights set on Watford’s Ismaila Sarr as a failsafe. Sarr was a stand-out for Watford in their relegation season, impressing all twenty seven Hornets bosses in the 2021/22 season, as well as catching the eye of other clubs’ managers, including Eddie Howe.
The Senegalese winger signed for Watford in 2019 from French club, Rennes, and has made 89 appearances scoring 23 goals. Sarr is likely to cost less than Diaby given Watford’s relegation, but Diaby remains the more exciting prospect.