La Liga side Real Socieded would demand a huge fee for Willian Jose but will Newcastle United pay it?
Willian Jose certainly has the skill set and the stature to thrive in the Premier League. An old-school, British-style number nine, the Brazilian forward appears a natural fit for the English top flight.
Willian Jose has even been linked with Barcelona
Rafael Benitez’s newly promoted side have been linked with a wide variety of attackers since the transfer window kicked into life but Jose could be one of the most expensive of them all.
According to The Mirror in April, Everton had considered the former Las Palmas forward as a potential replacement for fellow battering ram Romelu Lukaku and were quoted around £27 million – a fee that would make him comfortably Newcastle’s club-record signing.
The report added that Newcastle were keen at the time and, with doubts persisting about the futures of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Daryl Murphy, it would be no surprise if they were to step up their interest.
The Chronicle adds that, while The Magpies are yet to make an official offer, they are continuing to keep tabs on his situation at the Anoeta as a number of Premier League rivals have been linked in recent months.
Jose, however, is not the typical Benitez striker. Mitrovic, as well as Peter Crouch at Liverpool, discovered that the Spaniard prefers smaller, more mobile forwards than traditional targetmen.
Therefore, it would be something of a surprise if Benitez made the Brazilian his marquee summer signing.
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