Should Newcastle United be interested in Southampton striker Shane Long?
One of the recurrent themes of this summer transfer window has been Rafa Benitez’s constant moaning about lack of transfer activity at Newcastle United.
The Spaniard has received criticism from the likes of Joey Barton and Jamie Carragher for showing frustration every now and then for failing to sign enough players.
It is easier to say such things from the outside, but only Benitez knows how difficult the task it will be to take Newcastle to a good position without proper investment.
One of the positions where the former Real Madrid manager would love to bolster is the forward department.
Despite signing Joselu from Stoke City, Jacob Murphy from Norwich and Christian Atsu from Chelsea, Benitez still needs one or two signings in that area.
With Aleksandar Mitrovic’s future up in the air, signing an experienced striker is of paramount importance to Newcastle.
With this in mind, the Magpies should consider making a move for Southampton’s striker Shane Long, who has struggled to nail down a place in the first-team in recent times.
The Republic of Ireland international scored three goals in 29 Premier League games last season, enduring a miserable spell under Claude Puel.
However, he is an experienced Premier League player who is a proven goalscorer, having scored 10 Premier League goals in 28 matches for the Saints in 2015/16.
Long has dropped down the pecking order behind Manolo Gabbiadini at Southampton, and should look for challenges elsewhere.
The 30-year-old is still good enough to contribute significantly for a Premier League side, and signing him would represent a smart move from the Magpies.
He has a contract till 2020, but According to transfermarkt, he would cost around £8.24 million.
It is a decent price for a player of his ability, but Newcastle could still lower the price down. He would be a brilliant signing for Newcastle – over to you, Rafa.
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