Paul Merson fears Newcastle United will already be looking to axe Chris Wood next season if Eddie Howe’s side avoid relegation from the Premier League, via his Daily Star column.
Wood marked Howe’s second signing as Toon boss after the St James’ Park outfit triggered his £25m Burnley release clause. The Tyneside natives had already spent £12m on Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Tripper, and remain in the market for further last-ditch additions.
Merson feels Newcastle’s transfer strategy this month has simply been to secure ‘stop-gap’ solutions in their bid to avoid relegation. Howe also had to accelerate his plans for a centre-forward after losing Callum Wilson for two-months through a calf injury.
Wood joined Newcastle after scoring just three goals in 17 Premier League games for Burnley this season. He is also yet to score after two Toon appearances, which contributed to a draw with Watford before beating Leeds United in crucial bottom of the table games.
Leeds marked just Newcastle’s second top-flight win this season to climb up to 18th-place, ahead of Watford and Burnley. They are also now just a point from Norwich City in 17th, but have played one more game than the Hornets and three more than the Clarets.
Merson fears for Wood’s long-term Newcastle future
Merson does not feel Newcastle’s raid on Burnley for Wood was a transfer aimed at long-term gains, however. Instead, he believes Howe targeted an emergency option who will prove beneficial over the next five-months. Then, Wood may already be on the scrap heap.
“Newcastle’s transfer strategy is different, too,” Merson wrote. “They are just buying for the next few months. Put it this way, if they stay up, Chris Wood is not playing for them next season. He’s there to do what it says on the tin and keep them up, simple as that.
“They’ve weakened a rival and brought in someone who can score. But no disrespect to Chris Wood. Newcastle will be signing a superstar next season if they manage to stay up, and then he’ll only get a handful of games. This is just stop-gap football.”
Wood will be Mitrovic 2.0 in Championship if Toon suffer relegation
Merson expects a very different picture for Wood at Newcastle next season if Howe cannot avoid their relegation. Instead, the Arsenal icon feels the forward will prove to be a superb addition for life in the Championship.
“To be fair, if they go down, Chris Wood is an amazing signing for them because he’d be like another Aleksander Mitrovic in the Championship,” Merson added. “There isn’t much difference between them. It’s a completely different game at that level.”
Mitrovic is tearing the second-tier apart as he strives to fire Fulham back into the top-flight this season. The forward, who the Magpies sold to the Cottagers for £22m in 2018, has 27 goals in 25 appearances so far this term. He has scored seven more than any other player.
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