OPINION
Newcastle United have finally found form of late, registering their third straight win with a 2-1 victory over Burnley on Monday night, but the Magpies are still far from being a prolific team.
Given the financial restrictions that the club are operating under due to owner Mike Ashley’s thriftiness, it’s unlikely that manager Rafael Benitez will be able to go out and buy a goal machine in the January transfer window to fix the problem.
Instead, the Spaniard will have to look outside the box to address his team’s lack of goals. A move for Leicester City’s Shinji Okazaki, then, could be just what the doctor ordered for the club.
The Japan international has struggled for regular first team footballer at the King Power Stadium this term with Foxes boss Claude Puel not seeming to fancy him, a situation which has led to TEAMtalk reporting on Monday that his former manager Claudio Ranieri wants to bring him to Fulham.
Newcastle should certainly be challenging the Cottagers for Okazaki’s signature. The 32-year-old is exactly what the team needs, an industrious frontman who can help bring out the best in leading man Salomon Rondon.
Okazaki has never been a prolific goalscorer in English football but he is experienced and is, of course, a former Premier League title winner with the Foxes in 2016.
Benitez needs someone to provide competition for Ayoze Perez in the number ten position and Okazaki can do just that. He played off Jamie Vardy to great success in Leicester’s title winning season and is adept at creating opportunities for his team mates.
Rondon would certainly benefit from the diminutive Japan star buzzing around him, causing defenders to make mistakes and creating space for the burly Venezuelan.
Likewise, Okazaki would surely love being given the opportunity to capitalise on the knock ons and headed balls won by the West Bromwich Albion loanee.
The Leicester man is the sort of player who raises the game of his team mates. His enthusiasm is infectious and he is a tremendously hard worker – something which is always appreciated at St James’ Park.
He’s not a goal-a-game scorer who’s going to blow Magpies’ fans’ hair back, but he is a talented Premier League frontman who is being wasted at the King Power.
Someone will benefit from ending his Leicester isolation, and Newcastle should be doing everything they can to make sure it’s them.
