Newcastle United saw a £20 million bid rejected by Championship high-flyers Fulham last summer for Tom Cairney.
There is one position that Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez is desperate to strengthen this summer. It should come as no surprise considering that the Magpies have scored just one goal a game on average this season.
Ayoze Perez has been Newcastle’s main creative force high up the pitch, but the Spaniard has only scored two Premier League goals so far this season. Therefore, The Chronicle reports that Benitez wants a new number ten at St James’ Park this summer – and has up to ten players in consideration.
Surely one of these will be Tom Cairney.
The Scottish playmaker starred against Newcastle in the Championship last season for Fulham, scoring a glorious goal in a 3-1 win at St James’. He has been on Benitez’s radar ever since,with The Independent even claiming that Fulham rejected a club-record £20 million bid from The Magpies last summer.
But if owner Mike Ashley is willing to put his hand in his pocket, Cairney should be right at the top of Benitez’s wish-list once again.
The 27-year-old is exactly the sort of cutting edge talent that he is after, providing both goals and assists aplenty from his position behind the striker.
Cairney has only scored three and set up another four in an injury-hit 2017/18 but provided 13 and 10 last season to earn the EFL Player of the Year award. There is little doubt that he would cost more than the £17 million Newcastle paid for Michael Owen back in 2005, the most expensive player in their history.
But he could be worth every penny to Newcastle.
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