"Hugely important" 20-goal winger is Newcastle's top Almiron replacement
After falling short of European football last season, Newcastle United are now looking at an England star to help them disrupt the Premier League's top six next season.
The latest news out of St James' Park suggests that the Toon have their eye on a number of attacking players. Stuttgart and Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy is the latest name linked with a move to Tyneside after the forward scored 28 goals in 28 Bundesliga games for his side last season.
Joining Guirassy on Eddie Howe's shopping list is Wolves star Pedro Neto. The winger also has interest from Manchester City, however the promise of greater game time could be what tips the scales in the Toon's favour.
Another wide man that has caught the attention of the Magpies is Brajan Gruda. The Mainz ace contributed 4 goals and 3 assists for his side last season and at just twenty years of age has plenty of time to get even better.
With a new winger clearly a prioirty for Newcastle this summer, reports are now pointing towards one name being at the top of their wishlist in this position.
As first reported by Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Jarrod Bowen is at the top of Newcastle's list of targets to replace Miguel Almiron this summer. The outlet names Leeds United's Crysencio Summerville as another of the Toon's targets but claims the list is "headed" by Bowen.
O'Rourke claims that Almiron will only be sold if Newcastle can bring a replacement in as they look to strengthen four different positions over the course of the summer window.
Whilst Almiron has become something of a cult figure at St James' Park in recent years, there is no doubt that the majority of the Toon faithful would view Bowen as a major upgrade on the Paraguayan. The English winger notched 20 times for West Ham in all competitions, a far greater tally than Almiron's 5 goals.
Jarrod Bowen |
Miguel Almiron |
|
---|---|---|
Goals |
16 |
3 |
Assists |
6 |
1 |
Successful take-ons |
34 |
23 |
Progressive carries |
90 |
78 |
Touches |
1094 |
1029 |
Bowen's goal scoring prowess this season has not gone unnoticed by David Moyes, with the former Hammers manager waxing lyrical about his forward back in April: “He’s been hugely important this year and there is not many West Ham forwards or strikers who got over 20 goals.
“He has been a great player. When you think he’s come from Hereford to Hull, Hull to here and the journey he is on at the moment."
The winger's exploits for the Hammers earned the 27-year-old a call-up to Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad, and he has so far made two appearances for the Three Lions at the tournament, coming off the bench in their Group C fixtures against Serbia and Denmark.
With Newcastle looking to once again break into the top four next season, Bowen could be the man that takes the Toon right to the top.