The Toon have been linked with two strikers on Wednesday.
Newcastle United have been linked with moves for two strikers on Wednesday by different outlets, and combining the duo would take Rafa Benitez’s side to the next level.
Italian outlet CalcioMercato reported that Newcastle are just one of a number of interested parties in signing 27-year-old powerhouse Duvan Zapata from Serie A side Sampdoria, but face competition from Southampton and China.
Love Island World Cup: If EVERY contestant was a 2018 World Cup team
The news broke just before Newcastle were reportedly interested by Japan’s World Cup striker Yoshinori Muto – according to the Mirror on their transfer blog (Wednesday, 13:31) – after scoring 10 goals in the Bundesliga for Mainz last term.
Muto, who has played for Japan at the World Cup this summer, has a year remaining on his contract with the German outfit who could be looking to sell the 25-year-old in the coming months, in order to avoid losing him on a free in a year’s time.
That could see Newcastle land the former FC Tokyo star for a bargain fee this summer, as owner Mike Ashley continues to frustrate Benitez in regard to the Spaniard’s transfer budget.
Muto is renowned for his ability on the ball and desire to take on players, as well as his hard-working style of play, would compliment the more powerful Zapata if the two combined in attack.
Zapata managed 11 Serie A strikes for Sampdoria last season, and stands a whole five inches above Muto at 6ft 2in. The duo could form a ‘little and large’ combination, coined by Michael Owen and Emile Heskey at Liverpool in the early naughties.
A much more powerful striker, Zapata plays on the last man and looks to get on the end of crosses as well as using his physical frame to hold the ball up for others.
Combining Muto and Zapata would give Newcastle the firepower they need to replicate last season’s excellent tenth-placed finish, and take The Toon to the next level.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
