OPINION
With less than one week to go until the transfer window shuts, Steve Bruce will be scrambling to make sure his Newcastle United squad is more than ready to compete in the Premier League.
Bruce arrived at St James’ Park with his attacking ranks having been previously decimated after the confirmed exits of their two top-scorers last season in Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez.
The limited-time available left in the window, which now shuts before the start of the Premier League season could lead to Bruce being forced into players who aren’t wanted by their current clubs – a risky strategy to have to stick too.
The Sun journalist Alan Nixon reported on his personal Twitter account on Sunday that Newcastle were taking a look at Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe, but that an injury to Cherries’ playmaker David Brooks could disrupt any potential move.
Minor bit on Ibe. Newcastle were looking. Brooks injury may have disrupted that one. https://t.co/6m270HoFcl
— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) August 4, 2019
Newcastle fans will surely be breathing a sigh of relief at Bournemouth’s apparent injury issues, with Ibe certainly not the answers to their potential attacking problems.
The arrivals of Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin have plastered over any cracks at St James’ Park and could make any move for Ibe very pointless.
Ibe hasn’t reached the heights that were expected from him after leaving Liverpool in 2016 to team up with Eddie Howe, and his attacking involvements have been poor as a result of that.
The 23-year-old has only scored four goals and added 10 assists in his 117 Premier League appearances, and has averaged a goal involvement every 408 minutes [Transfermarkt] – a stat which all but proves Bruce must look elsewhere.
Ibe managed a single goal and assist last season, only making 19 appearances in the top-flight, averaging only 0.5 shots and key passes every outing in the league [WhoScored], which prove that he doesn’t create enough opportunities both for himself and his teammates.
With Bournemouth’s injury worries, Newcastle fans can surely breathe a sigh of relief as they are all but certain to miss out on Ibe this summer.
