Newcastle United are reportedly pressing ahead with a move for Stoke City’s Joselu.
Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has taken to Twitter to offer an update on Newcastle United’s bid for Stoke City striker Joselu, suggesting that a deal is now very close.
The Magpies opened their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, as Jonjo Shelvey’s first-half red card left them with a mountain to climb before Dele Alli and Ben Davies struck for the visitors.
Newcastle’s lacklustre attacking display again highlighted how manager Rafael Benitez needs to bring in another striker this summer, even with Dwight Gayle passed fit to play against Spurs on Sunday.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is Benitez’s only other recognised centre forward following Daryl Murphy’s move to Nottingham Forest, and another centre forward must be landed before the transfer deadline later this month.
Earlier this month, the Stoke Sentinel reported that Newcastle had failed with a ‘derisory’ bid for Stoke City striker Joselu, who scored six goals in 24 games whilst on loan with Deportivo La Coruna in his native Spain last season.
The Daily Mail claimed over the weekend that Newcastle are now closing in on a £5million deal for Joselu, giving Benitez the extra striker he has been looking for this summer.
Guillem Balague
Now, Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has taken to Twitter to offer an update on the situation, admitting that Joselu is close to joining Newcastle for £5million, claiming that he is a better goalscorer than he has shown in recent years.
Joselu hit just four goals in his only season with Stoke following a 2015 move from Hannover, and his record of 39 goals in the last five seasons may not give fans confidence that he can be a regular goalscorer for Newcastle, despite Balague’s claims otherwise.
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