Premier League strugglers Newcastle United are in talks to sign Ligue 1 striker Kasper Dolberg from OGC Nice during the January transfer window, as reported by French publication Homme du Match.
What do Newcastle need this winter?
A new left-back? An upgrade at right-back? A commanding central defender? A dominant defensive midfielder? More creativity in the final third? Another striker capable of easing the burden on the injury-prone Callum Wilson.
The answer, if we’re honest, is all of the above.
That alone should give you an indication as to why Norwich City are not the only winless team in the Premier League ten games into the new campaign.
Could Kasper Dolberg help save Newcastle from relegation?
As Magpies legend Alan Shearer pointed out in the aftermath of Saturday’s home defeat to Chelsea – a performance which saw Newcastle cling to the edge of their own penalty area like limpets to a rock and still lose 3-0 – this is a squad made up largely of players who represented the club in the Championship four years ago; Matt Ritchie, Jonjoe Shelvey, Dwight Gayle, Ciaron Clark, Karl Darlow and more.
Reinforcements, and lots of them, are required.
Fortunately, Newcastle have some Saudi Arabian billionaires pulling the strings these days, rather than a man who has made a living flogging Slazenger hoodies to 14-year-olds.
Newcastle have been linked with a whole host of potential transfer targets so far but Dolberg, Nice’s Denmark international striker, feels like a far more realistic – more gettable – option than the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Talks are reportedly underway with Dolberg’s camp and Nice are unlikely to stand in his way, having already snapped up a replacement in Andy Delort.
Tuttomercatoweb reported in July, after the former Ajax starlet’s impressive performances at Euro 2020, that the £17 million-rated Dolberg was free to leave.
Crystal Palace were linked over the summer with a man who has been labelled by Eagles boss Patrick Vieira as a ‘world-class striker’.
Having signed Odsonne Edouard from Celtic instead, Newcastle are unlikely to face much competition from Palace for Dolberg’s signature in the New Year.
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