OPINION
Everyone knows that Newcastle have money issues and that Rafa Benitez is doing the best he can on a shoestring budget, but Mike Ashley simply has to find the funds to complete a deal for Nice striker Alassane Plea.
According to Sky broadcaster Pete Graves, Plea remains a target for Newcastle, with West Brom striker Salomon Rondon and other on Benitez’s shortlist, but Newcastle and Nice are not meeting up in terms of the player’s valuation.
Plea remains a target, but #nufc and Nice apart in valuation. I'm told Rondon has been discussed, but there are others on the list also. Expect significant movement on this once Mitro departure confirmed. https://t.co/vEcm46heVP
— Pete Graves (@PeteGravesTV) July 9, 2018
According to the Chronicle, Nice want £27million for the player – a hike because Lyon get 20% of any fee – and Newcastle have offered £20million.
Well now it’s time for Newcastle, and Ashley, to put their hands in their pockets and make sure the deal doesn’t go the way of so many others in the past year.
Plea is 25, he scored 16 goals in 35 Ligue 1 games last season and added six assists. Some big clubs are after him – reportedly Sevilla and Valencia.
He might be an unknown quantity in the Premier League, but Rondon is a known PL player and he doesn’t cut it.
Plea is by far the best option that Newcastle have at hand and they’re only seven million off a deal by the sounds of it.
Of course that’s a huge amount of money, but there’s more at stake here and if Newcastle don’t get a quality striker this season, Benitez might just admit defeat and call it a day.
Ashley isn’t known for doing the right thing by Newcastle but this time his and the club’s interest are aligned and he simply must dig deep to make it happen.
