The agent of Spezia winger David Okereke has claimed that Newcastle United are one of the teams interested in signing his man this summer.
The Nigerian scored 10 times and set up a further 12 in the Italian Serie B this season, and has been compared to this term’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal.
Agent Ben Itorho has now spoken out: “Southampton, Crystal Palace and Newcastle are showing interest but there are other clubs who want him,” he told All Nigeria Soccer.
“Club Brugge, Genk and Sassuolo have strong interest in him. They want Okereke in the Premier League but the player has to take a decision with his footballing future in mind.”
OPINION
It’s hard to know what to think about Okereke. Clearly he is a terrific young prospect who excelled in the Italian second tier at just 21 years of age. However, is he really what Newcastle need right now? Rafael Benitez, if he stays, would surely be looking for more proven Premier League talent. This would be the sort of signing typical of the way that the club’s hierarchy want to proceed in the transfer market rather than what the Spaniard himself wants to do. Okereke is unproven at the top level, so for him to make the step up to the Premier League would likely be too much for him – at first anyway. Perhaps the Nigerian wouldn’t be a bad signing were the Magpies to loan him out – possibly to a Championship side – to get some experience before integrating him into the first team. But for anyone to expect him to come to St James’ Park and make an instant impact would be misguided. Still, it’s probably unlikely this one comes off anyway – certainly not until the ownership and manager’s situation is sorted out at Newcastle.
