Sam Cosgrove is heading to Birmingham City with Newcastle United on the verge of missing out on the Aberdeen striker, as reported by the Evening Express.
Did Steve Bruce’s struggling side show a few flickers of recovery in their 2-1 defeat to Leeds in midweek; their fifth successive Premier League loss? Or were they simply made to look less toothless than useful by a Marcelo Bielsa team who hand out chances like they are going out of fashion?
Either way, Newcastle are once again hovering around the bottom of the table when it comes to ‘goals scored’ and ‘chances created’, during what has been another insomnia-curing season under the increasingly maligned Bruce.
Yet whether Cosgrove was ever capable of firing the Tynesiders into the vertigo-inducing heights of upper-mid-table was anyone’s guess.
The former Everton youngster has scored as many goals as Joelinton in 2020/21. Although, in fairness, he did find the net 44 times in 82 matches for Aberdeen between 2017 and 2019.
The Sun reported earlier this month that Newcastle were willing to offer Cosgrove the chance to prove himself south of the border.
But, with Bruce seemingly prioritising a box-to-box midfield enforcer and a new left-back, Birmingham have stolen a march.
Aitor Karanka’s Championship strugglers have agreed a fee of £2 million, with Dons boss Derek McInnes confirming that ‘discussions are ongoing’ with the St Andrews outfit (Evening Express).
Birmingham feels like a better fit than Newcastle, in truth.
Cosgrove will find it easier to adapt in the second tier, while his physical prowess and aerial strength should give the Blues a much-needed threat in the final third.
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