Newcastle United appear to want reinforcements in the final third – and Burnley striker Ashley Barnes may be the man on their shopping list.
Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle
Many Crystal Palace fans felt Dwight Gayle did not get the opportunity he deserved at Selhurst Park. Despite boasting an impressive goals-per-starts record, the diminutive frontman was frequently left out of the starting XI despite being arguably the most predatory forward at the club’s disposal.
To use a term coined by Newcastle United supporters, he’d been ‘Pardewed’.
Nonetheless, the fact is that the man whose 22 goals inspired The Magpies to the Championship trophy remains largely unproven in the Premier League.
As are Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez, the latter netting 13 goals in two years in the top flight.
Therefore, it’s perhaps no shock that The Chronicle reports that manager Rafael Benitez is making a ‘proven’ Premier League striker one of his priorities this summer with Newcastle expected to splash a whole wad of cash.
And though Ashley Barnes has impressed on occasions when leading Burnley’s line, you wonder whether he really fits the bill. ESPN reports that Newcastle are challenging Crystal Palace for the £6 million-rated former Austria youth international.
However, Barnes has only two Premier League seasons under his belt. He netted six times in 2015/16, plus another five this season as Burnley survived with surprising comfort.
The 27-year-old is certainly an integral part of Burnley’s game-plan, an excellent outlet and an impressive link-man up top. However, his goals return would hardly inspire confidence in Newcastle supporters.
Especially as no player in their squad has even struck consistent fear into top flight defenders.
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