OPINION
Newcastle United have not been famous for their attacking prowess recently, and that is no doubt down to the fact that they do not have a prolific goalscorer amongst their ranks.
While Salomon Rondon has a good work rate and can often pop with a crucial goal, the Magpies lack a striker who is agile and can get in all the right places.
It is not like Joselu is going to step up to the plate any time soon is it? If anything, the Spaniard is just heading in the opposite direction, something which needs to be halted as soon as possible.
One way Rafa Benitez can halt Joselu’s decline is by swooping for a centre-forward capable of doing damage – and that player is Burnley attacker Ashley Barnes.
Barnes competes regularly for a starting place alongside Sam Vokes and Chris Wood – he has 26 outings in all competitions this term – and he has been known as a striker who pops up in the right place at the right time.
You only have to take a look at his time at Brighton to understand just how crucial he can be to games, after all, he was their main striker for quite a while.
While he has only netted five goals this term, the 29-year-old has proved in the past – namely with his ten goals last season – that he is capable of scoring when it is most needed.
Newcastle are in a position where they will not be able to afford the best strikers with the best goal tallies, but seeing as Barnes is on £25,000-a-week [Spotrac], a swoop for him is becoming ever more realistic.
United desperately need up increase their goal count – they have only mustered up 16 so far – so pouncing for Barnes as soon as possible is exactly what they need to do that.
The liability that is Joselu needs to be axed in order to accommodate Barnes, as he has proven time and time again that he is of no use to the team.
