Newcastle exploring move for “clinical” £17m star

Newcastle United are at a bit of a crossroads this summer. The Magpies’ latest transfer target was clear: sign a right winger.

Yet, their reported number one target, Bryan Mbeumo, rejected Eddie Howe’s side, as well as North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, in favour of a move to Manchester United, as per David Ornstein.

The North East giants were forced to move on to their next target, Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga. However, their bid for the Sweden international, worth a reported £45m according to Ornstein, was rejected by the City Ground side, although they could return with a new offer.

So, that leaves Newcastle somewhat in limbo, although they have been linked wth a few more players who could become their new right-winger.

The latest on Newcastle’s pursuit for a winger

Finding a new right-sided attacker has certainly been a frustration for the Magpies. They have missed out on two primary targets and must now go back to the drawing board to figure out their next move.

Well, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has recently broken the news that they are ‘exploring other options’ with regards to wide options. Two of those include PSV Eindhoven starlet Johan Bakayoko and West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus.

If the Magpies are to move for Bakayoko this summer, it seems like it could be a bargain move. According to reports, the Eredivisie side could accept as little as £17m for their winger this summer.

He has just one year left on his contract, and a move seems inevitable, which could give Newcastle a perfect opportunity.

How Bakayoko compares to Kudus

At just 22 years of age, Bakayoko has already made a great impression across Europe. He is clearly deemed Premier League quality by some sides, after a move to Brentford fell through a couple of years ago.

Now, two years on from that potential move, he is still making waves in the top flight of the Netherlands. Last season for PSV, the Belgium international played 47 times across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and grabbing three assists.

However, that is not Bakayoko’s best season for PV, whose academy he is a graduate of. His quality was really on show in the 2023/24 campaign. The winger featured in 33 Eredivisie games that season, and scored 12 goals, whilst grabbing nine assists.

Of course, the Magpies might pursue a move for Kudus, but there is no guarantee that they will secure the services of the Ghanaian international. He has been offered to other clubs, including Chelsea, as recently as the 6th of June, according to Sky Sports.

He certainly has a good record in the Premier League for West Ham. The 24-year-old has made 65 appearances in the English top flight, scoring 13 goals and grabbing 12 assists in that time. His best season came in 2023/24, when he contributed eight goals and nine assists.

However, he hasn’t hit the heights for the Hammers that Bakayoko did for PSV a couple of years ago. This certainly suggests that the Belgian could be an excellent alternative to Kudus if the Magpies decide to move for him instead.

The underlying stats on FBref also suggest that it is the case, too. When looking at their numbers from 2023/24, Bakayoko averaged 0.76 goals and assists and 7.11 progressive carries per 90 minutes.

In comparison, Kudus averaged 0.54 goals and assists and 4.32 progressive carries each game.

The stats are there to suggest that, if they bring Bakayoko in this summer, he would be an excellent alternative to Kudus. Not only is he a “clinical” goalscoring winger, as Antonio Mango described him, but he is a fantastic ball carrier too, as the stats show.

For just £17m, this could be one of the bargains of the summer for Newcastle. It hasn’t been an easy summer so far, with the rejections they have faced, but this could be a huge turning point and key addition.

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