OPINION
Newcastle United must go all out to sign Duvan Zapata as the forward will be able to fire Rafa Benitez’s side up the table next season if recruited.
Italian publication Il Secoloxix previously reported that the Magpies were in the hunt to sign the 27-year-old Columbian forward but that Chinese side Jiangsu Suning were already in negotiations with Sampdoria about signing him.
It has since been reported by the Daily Mail’s Live Transfer Blog (Tuesday, 14:56) that Sampdoria after signing Zapata for £17.5million had offered Chelsea the chance to sign the 6ft 2in player (Transfermarkt) in this window.
The national newspaper stated that the Blues were keen to offload some of their foreign contingent as they were planning on reconstructing their squad and were keeping close tabs on their homegrown quota.
This suggests that the Magpies’ Premier League rivals won’t take Sampdoria up on their offer and this must see Rafa Benitez’s side spring into action.
Jiangsu Suning may be willing to pay £7.5million to take Zapata on loan, as stated by the Daily Mail’s report, but clearly Sampdoria aren’t satisfied with that offer as they wouldn’t have offered the player to Chelsea.
The Magpies would need to break their transfer record, which is £16million according to the Chronicle, to get him as Sampdoria won’t want to lose money on their £17.5million investment but Zapata would be worth them splashing the cash on.
The 27-year-old who spent last season on loan at Sampdoria from Napoli before being signed permanently has all the tools in his locker that would see him be able to light up the Premier League.
Zapata is a strong powerful forward and would bully Premier League defences if unleashed upon them.
The powerhouse proved last season for Sampdoria that he has a good eye for a goal as he scored 11 goals, while assisting six during the 32 appearances he made for them.
Benitez’s side are in desperate need of a new forward to lead their line as they only managed 39 goals in 38 league games last season.
With Sampdoria offering Zapata to Chelsea then clearly they’re willing to strike a deal to get him off their books and this means that the Magpies must instantly go all out to ensure their the side win his signature.
