BBC pundit Robbie Savage has questioned whether any strikers would want to join Newcastle United in the January transfer window.
United have been struggling for goals this season, and after they extended their winless run against Brighton on Saturday, Savage questioned the fact of whether any strikers would actually want to join forces with them.
He pointed out no striker would want to join a team in the Premier League bottom three, and a forward would only sign if they were paid £150,000-£200,000-per-week – or £7.8million-per-year – to join.
“Now in January, if you’re Newcastle looking for a centre forward (A) you’re in the bottom three and (B) unless you’re going to pay £150,000-£200,000 a-week and take a chance on somebody, who is going to go there?” he told BBC 606 [transcribed by the Chronicle].
“But I’m looking at Newcastle and Huddersfield, who is going to score the goals to keep them up? Something needs to happen and happen fast or they are going to go down.”
OPINION
As harsh as it is, Savage is right with his verdict of Newcastle’s striker hunt. What player would want to have the pressure of getting a club out of the bottom three? That would be deterrent enough – and it is not like Newcastle can pay a high wage either to convince them to join. They will find it very hard to recruit a centre-forward in January if that is what they decide to do, as well as the other positions that Rafa Benitez has targeted. The fact that they are yet to record a victory will put potential signings off straight away – why would they join a club that could potentially be relegated to the Championship? No player in their right mind would. If Savage’s comments are anything to go by, then Benitez has a momentous task in front of him – and that could be made even harder if he fails to recruit the right players in January.
