Newcastle United have reportedly bid for the Crystal Palace winger.
Andros Townsend returning to Newcastle United is a rumour that crops up at least once every transfer window.
The England international quit Newcastle for Crystal Palace two years ago and speculation about a controversial return to the North East is never far away for the former Tottenham star.
But on this occasion, it seems slightly more likely.
According to The Mirror, Magpies boss Rafael Benitez has even lodged a £20 million bid for the 26-year-old winger. Some fans of the St James’s Park would flat-out refuse to have him back, while others would jump at the chance to see him in a black and white kit once again.
What isn’t so divisive, however, is that he’s comfortably a better and more productive winger than Matt Ritchie, Jacob Murphy or Christian Atsu and therefore maybe, just maybe, him coming back would improve United significantly.
Prior to his exit, Townsend, who commanded a £12 million fee from Crystal Palace, was really responding to Benitez’s ideas and the prospect of a full season under the Spanish manager was an exciting one, though it never materialised.
Nevertheless, Ritchie, Atsu and Murphy haven’t quite clicked under Benitez as well as Townsend did and United would be a significantly better side with him in it next term.
He created more goalscoring chances for Palace last season than Ritchie and Murphy combined, and if Newcastle can get Townsend and a top-drawer striker through the door then fans could and should look forward to a fruitful 2018-19 campaign.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
