OPINION
the final day this weekend, talk will inevitably begin to turn towards the summer and the endless possibilities it brings.
Newcastle United have reportedly begun their scouting for the summer window after being linked with a move for Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen.
As reported by The Sun, the Magpies are one of five teams interested in the 28-year-old, who looks set to move on from the Potters after their relegation was confirmed at the weekend.
The newspaper claim that Allen is set to cost around £20million as he does not have a relegation clause in his contract, meaning a cut-price swoop is off the table.
While a swoop for Allen would indeed be a good move for Newcastle, the Magpies should instead think about a move for his midfield partner Badou N’Diaye.
The Senegal international destroyer joined the Potters from Galatasaray in January for a fee of £14.4million, and has gone on to make 12 appearances for the club, scoring once.
The powerful midfielder has caught the eye with some impressive performances, and will surely move on to his third club in six months or so this summer.
The important thing to note here is that Newcastle were actually linked with a move for the 27-year-old in January, before he ended up joining Stoke.
According to the Daily Mail, the club were interested in a move for N’Diaye in January, who was also eyed up by Watford and Crystal Palace.
The Magpies have now been presented with a perfect opportunity to snap the destroyer up this summer, with N’Diaye likely to cost around £14million once again, which is a very reasonable price.
He would add some much-needed steel to their midfield, and would provide a perfect foil to Jonjo Shelvey in the Newcastle engine room.
While Allen would be a solid addition, N’Diaye looks a real player, and Newcastle are more in need of his qualities this summer as they look to mount a challenge for Europe next season.
