Newcastle United have pinpointed Bournemouth star Joshua King as their top striker target this summer, according to reliable journalist.
Alan Nixon, football correspondent at The Sun, claimed on his personal Twitter account on Monday in an exchange with a fan that King had been the club’s top target in that position for a while.
Nixon however further reported that the Magpies believe that the asking price for Norway international is too high.
As previously reported by Nixon in The Sun, Newcastle and Bournemouth have discussed a swap deal including King and Magpies winger Josh King, who is said to be rated around £20million.
Good move for Newcastle United?
A move for King does make sense, with the Magpies badly in need of a new striker, ideally one with Premier League experience.
King has played 100 times in the competition, scoring 32 goals in the process, and that output of around one-in-three would be perfect for Newcastle to have at their disposal next season.
The 26-year-old had a bit of a disappointing term in 2017/18, with injury niggles limiting his involvement slightly for the Cherries, but still managed to score nine goals in 34 appearances.
The issue here, which the club have obviously recognised, is price. £20million is far too steep for King, and there is no chance the Magpies would agree to a deal at that level.
Nothing but Newcastle rating: 7/10
Likely to happen?
As mentioned, Newcastle believe the asking price for King is too high, and there is little chance of a £20million deal happening.
The reported swap deal involving Ritchie is a potential way around that high price, but Newcastle may also want to use those funds to buy other targets.
It is pretty hard to say whether this one will happen at the moment, and the next few weeks will hopefully provide some more clarity.
Nothing but Newcastle rating: 2/10
