OPINION
Newcastle are close to the signings of West Brom striker Salomon Rondon and Liverpool forward Danny Ings, according to the Sun.
The newspaper reports that a deal for Rondon is imminent, with Magpies attacker Dwight Gayle moving in the opposite direction, while a loan move for Ings in also in the offing.
It’s the signing of Ings, finally recovered from a series of debilitating injuries, that should be an absolute priority for the Newcastle hierarchy.
The England international is still young at 26, and showed awesome potential at Burnley before his career was derailed at Anfield through injury.
Rondon is a like for like replacement for Aleksandar Mitrovic, a big man to hold the ball up and feast on crosses. Ings is something different for Newcastle, a poacher who can also run at – or in behind – defences.
At the moment Gayle is the most natural goalscorer at the club, but if he’s not scoring he’s not doing much for the team. Ings, on the other hand, is a terrific team player who will run his socks off from start to finish. He’s quick and strong, and is only now starting to enter his prime.
The Sun’s report states that despite Liverpool holding out for a £20million fee for the forward, Anfield bosses may be prepared to send him on loan to Tyneside, with Newcastle paying for the player in a years time.
Southampton are also keen, but are looking to pay a small fee up front with extras included. The Magpies’ deal for the Englishman would include a larger fee of £15million to be paid next summer if Newcastle stay up and Ings stays fit.
The Sun’s transfer expert Alan Nixon has said that Newcastle are so keen they want Ings “any way they can”, although they won’t pay £20million. He said that it might go through as a cheaper deal, or a loan or they might even consider a pay-as-you-play deal.
Rafael Benitez’s side must ensure the Liverpool man doesn’t slip through their fingers and down to the South Coast. He is the type of hard-working player who would flourish under the Spaniard, and experience the fervent admiration of the St James’s Park crowd.
Indeed, Tyneside could be the perfect place for Ings to relaunch his stuttering career. He would even be well suited to playing alongside his would-be team mate Rondon, being able to capitalise on the havoc the Venezuelan wreaks amongst opposition defences.
Ings appears to be a combination of the good qualities exhibited by current St James’s Park frontmen Gayle and Ayoze Perez. He has the natural goalscoring ability of Gayle, as well as the pace and skill to run at defences that Perez possesses. He’s bigger and strong than both, however, and is better in the air too.
This is one signing that could really make a difference on Tyneside this season, and lift some of the gloom that’s been surrounding the club of late.
