Newcastle United and other Premier League sides are linked with the young striker, but does Rafael Benitez need him?
According to a report from Team Talk, Newcastle United and Jean-Philippe Mateta are both “keen” on getting a deal done this summer.
The Lyon starlet scored 19 goals in all competitions during a loan with Le Havre last season [ESPN] and has reportedly found himself on the radar of Newcastle, Everton and West Ham United.
Nevertheless, Mateta seems interested in joining the Magpies, but should United boss Rafael Benitez aim higher?
Lord knows that Newcastle desperately need a striker during the summer months, but they need an experienced one and preferably one who can score goals in the Premier League.
Mateta might be brilliant down the road, but for now he is still only 20 years old and it seems unlikely that he’s going to fire the St James’s Park club to big things during the 2018-19 campaign.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with signing Mateta and an experienced goalscorer. Problem is, the Lyon youngster is, according to Team Talk, also interesting Everton and West Ham and does Benitez really want to get into a bidding war for a player who won’t be his first-choice striker?
Funds could be tight for the Spanish manager again, which means that every penny needs to be spent very wisely, but competing with Everton and the Irons – two richer clubs – for Mateta isn’t all that wise.
Benitez could spend a large chunk of his budget on this one player, who is untested in any division outside Ligue 2. The Toffees and West Ham can afford such gambles – Newcastle can’t.
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