OPINION
Newcastle United must hijack Premier League rivals Crystal Palace’s pursuit of Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck as the idea that he might cost only £10million makes him a potential bargain.
The Sun reported on Tuesday that Palace wanted to agree a £10million deal with the Gunners for their 27-year-old attacker, with them currently weighing up whether to make a New Year’s bid, as Roy Hodgson believes that Welbeck could add goals to his side.
The newspaper go onto claim that Arsenal would be willing to listen to offers for their forward in January as with his contract set to expire in the summer, then they would like to get some fee for his service if he is set to leave.
Given that seems believable then the Magpies must try to welcome Welbeck to St James Park instead as the forward could not only significantly bolster the club’s current firepower but at £10million he’d be a bargain within their price range.
Benitez needs to welcome a new attacker in January as the Magpies have only managed to score seven goals in their first eleven league games of the season.
Also The Sun report that Welbeck may be willing to go to Palace in order to get regular first-team football and given that Rafa Bentiez would also throw chances the forward’s way at St James Park, he could easily be tempted by the move.
The 27-year-old would be able to hit the ground running at the Magpies given his Premier League experience and while his goal record doesn’t scream prolific, there’s no reason to suggest he couldn’t find the net more at St James Park.
The attacker, who has scored 42 goals in 206 appearances in England’s top-flight, has regularly been deployed on the wing by the Gunners rather than in an central role and that hasn’t exactly aided his quest for goals.
Benitez could easily play him down the middle or have him lead the line at the Magpies and that could see him prove himself in front of goal on a regular basis.
Welbeck has respectable pace, always looks determined to succeed, is versatile and even when he’s not scoring, does tend to get himself into goalscoring opportunities which shows his creative vision.
Given that £10million would barely get you a Championship proven player these days, the Magpies can’t afford to ignore hijacking Crystal Palace’s attempts to get Welbeck in January as it’s too good a chance to miss.
