Newcastle United are unlikely to sign reported transfer target Mbwana Samatta in January due to their transfer strategy, according to the Shields Gazette.
The newspaper claims that the Magpies are going to be unable to bring the Genk striker in because Steve Bruce’s side are targeting the loan market in the New Year.
BBC Sport reported earlier this month that Newcastle and West Ham are both interested in signing the Tanzania international, who has a £10million release clause.
The 26-year-old has scored 74 goals in 182 games for his current club [Source: Transfermarkt], and is under consideration by the scouting team on Tyneside.
OPINION
It’s interesting that Newcastle are targeting the loan market in January, because that’s a notoriously volatile market, especially mid season. It’s going to be hard for the Magpies to find real quality in the winter transfer window if they’re only looking to do temporary deals. Samatta is someone who looks to be a quality player, and one who scored against Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League recently, while he’s only going to cost £10million. That’s absolutely nothing for a Premier League team, even one who splashed out in the summer like Newcastle did. If the north east giants are looking to find loan deals, then they’re probably looking at another central midfielder, winger and potentially a striker. But who are they going to get on temporary deals in those positions who’d be an upgrade on what they already have? Perhaps they have players in mind from abroad, but that’s a risky business in and of itself. So it will be interesting to see how Newcastle’s January plays out, but it doesn’t look like Samatta is in their immediate future.
