Tottenham defeat could be a boost to Benitez’s Newcastle United transfer plans

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Rafa Benitez wants a big-money striker at Newcastle United – and the 1-0 Premier League loss against Spurs at Wembley shows why.

Newcastle United had chances and missed them in the 1-0 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night. While Harry Kane was clinical and ruthless at one end, Ayoze Perez and Jacob Murphy fluffed their lines at the other.

In total, Newcastle managed 14 shots and hit the target with just three. They simply were not clinical enough.

And that is exactly the point Rafa Benitez was trying to make when he said in the build up to the game that Newcastle needed to break their transfer record this summer to sign a striker, as reported by The Independent.

It is 13 years since Michael Owen arrived on Tyneside for £17 million. No one has cost The Magpies more than that in over a decade and Benitez wants that to change this summer.

Newcastle continue to be linked with Feyenoord targetman Nicolai Jorgensen, as reported by The Star (9th May, page 45), and are expected to make a bid for Angers’ £20 million-rated striker Karl Toko-Ekambi this summer too, as reported by The Sun.

And, strangely enough, that agonising loss in North London in midweek could be something of a blessing in disguise for Benitez and Newcastle.

Because the defeat, and the manner of it, showed exactly why owner Mike Ashley does need to break the bank for a prolific goalscorer this season.

Benitez has somehow dragged Newcastle to safety and possibly even a top half finish. Just imagine how much further they could go if they added a quality number nine to a solid, dependable squad.