According to TuttoSport, Newcastle United remain keen on signing PSV Eindhoven star Johan Bakayoko and are monitoring his situation ahead of the summer.
Newcastle were unable to secure the signature of a new addition during the January transfer window, but they did put the foundations in place to have a very ambitious summer.
The sale of Miguel Almiron banked the Tynesiders £9m following his return to the MLS via Atlanta United, while Lloyd Kelly left for Juventus on a half-season loan and will make his move to Turin permanent when the £20m obligation to buy is triggered in the summer.
Paul Mitchell’s work in offloading fringe players is set to boost transfer funds for Newcastle to reinvest and refresh the squad ahead of next season, which will be massively advantageous if they qualify for Europe.
Alongside progression in the FA Cup and a Carabao Cup final secured last week, the Magpies are currently sixth in the Premier League and in a strong position to qualify for Champions League football – just three points shy of knocking Chelsea out of the top four.
Due to the sale of Almiron, the signing of a right winger has become an even higher priority for the club in the summer, with Jacob Murphy the only ‘out-and-out’ right winger in the first team squad.
Indeed, the 29-year-old forward has played an impactful part in Newcastle’s season so far with five goals and eight assists across all competitions, however, bringing in a prolific high-quality winger to boost goal contributions this summer would be ideal.
Newcastle were one of the Premier League clubs strongly linked to a move for PSV Eindhoven star Johan Bakayoko last month, with Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool joining them in their interest of the talented forward.
Now Italian news outlet TuttoSport have claimed that Newcastle have not given up in their pursuit of the talented Belgian winger and are closely monitoring his situation ahead of the summer transfer window.
The publication claims that Juventus also had their eye on the €50m (£42m) player last summer, but were not able to meet the Eredivisie club’s valuation and now Newcastle are leading with a keen eye on Bakayoko.
Will Newcastle sign Johan Bakayoko?
There is no doubt that Bakayoko possesses the talent to become the next star signing for Newcastle, but any approach will likely depend on just how much the club is willing to invest into the forward line this summer.
Over 19 Eredivisie appearances this season so far, the 21-year-old – once hailed “electric” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – has scored seven goals, registered one assist and created three big chances, as well as averaging 2.2 shots on goal, 1.4 key passes and two successful dribbles per game.
As per SofaScore, Bakayoko boasts strengths in passing, positioning and high pressing, with the latter trait a key component to the success Newcastle have found in their better performances this season, making him a perfect profile of player to deploy on the right flank.
Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon have indefinitely confirmed their spots in the future of Newcastle’s attacking threat, but with Murphy’s form unpredictable there is a real outcry for consistency on the right side.
Bakayoko is still a raw talent with a ceiling worth investing in for Howe – the former Bournemouth boss has a strong record in developing young players to become rising stars in the Premier League, with Lewis Hall the latest to thrive under the manager’s guidance.
With that being said, there is a great opportunity for Newcastle to snap up one of the most promising young talents in Europe this summer, but they will likely face strong competition so need to be prepared to make an offer both the player and PSV can’t refuse.
