Newcastle United are in hot pursuit of Hoffenheim striker Andrej Kramaric, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper claim the Magpies’ head of recruitment Steve Nickson has been paying close to attention to the Croatia international after being handed a list of transfer targets by Rafael Benitez.
The Chronicle report that Benitez’s priorities in the summer window are recruiting full-back cover, a new winger, and a proven centre-forward.
OPINION
Would Kramaric be an upgrade on Joselu, Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic? Yes, he certainly would. Newcastle are in dire need of a line-leader who can play with his back to goal as well as pull defenders out of position and create space for teammates. Not to mention put the ball in the back of the net. Joseulu and Gayle both have their strengths, but neither are the A-list front man that Benitez craves. The manager has made no secret of his club’s need for the kind of forward who would cost way beyond the club-record £16million paid for Michael Owen a generation ago. Aged 26, Kramaric is entering his peak years and has demonstrated at Hoffenheim that he is a top-class centre-forward. He struggled for form in the first half of the season but exploded into life after the winter break, scoring 11 goals in 14 matches in the second half of the campaign to help Julian Nagelsmann’s side qualify for the Champions League group-stage for the first time in their history. It is easy to see why Newcastle are in pursuit, but it will be a tough deal to pull off.
