Rafa Benitez is desperate for a new number 10 at Newcastle United so the Premier League side could make a move for Red Bull Salzburg’s Valon Berisha.
Newcastle United seem to have enough to retain their Premier League status for another season, but Rafa Benitez will not be getting complacent.
The Magpies have lacked that little spark of creativity all season and, according to the Chronicle, the manager is trying to rectify that by making a number ten his top summer priority.
And it seems that Newcastle could turn again to Valon Berisha.
The Kosovan international is one of the key players for Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg and has been on Newcastle’s radar for some time. The Sun claimed on transfer deadline day back in August that Newcastle, and Leicester, were hoping to sign Berisha on an initial loan deal with an option to buy for £12 million.
But it seems that interest from Tyneside goes back even further. The Chronicle claims that Newcastle have been scouting Berisha for at least 18 months now and, with a creative talent top of Benitez’s wish list, fans should be expecting a new move in next summer’s transfer window.
The 25-year-old has been with Salzburg since 2012 and has had a fine season, scoring 11 times and setting up a further nine in all competitions, to help the Austrian giants move into the quarter-finals of the Europa League and well clear at the top of the T-Mobile Bundesliga.
Berisha, who had 20 caps for Norway before switching his allegiance to Kosovo, scored both goals in the 2-1 away win at Borussia Dortmund in the round-of-16.
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