Newcastle summer target enhances reputation in Europa League
Published:
With goals coming at a premium for Newcastle United this season, news of another Magpies target finding the net yet again may generate mixed feelings among the Toon masses.
Reportedly scouted by Graham Carr earlier in the season, according to The Chronicle, Arkadiusz Milik had been in the midst of a barren run of sorts in the Eredivisie of late.
So news that the Poland international netted a brace against Legia Warsaw this week may have been greeted positively on Tyneside.
However, the flip side of the 20-year-old finding his feet in front of goal yet again is that he is almost surely likely to attract advances from other Premier League clubs keen to recruit goalscoring reinforcements this summer.
Newcastle’s need for a new striker is stronger than most, however, with a spate of injuries and some alarming drops in form contributing to their current dilemma.
Over their last 13 games in all competitions, the Magpies have managed to score more than once on just three occasions with those hauls coming against Burnley, Everton and Hull – three sides teetering on the brink of a relegation dogfight.
Newcastle’s lack of goals is made all the more concerning when you factor in that the Toon boast a defensive record ranked joint-third as the worst in the division having shipped 42 goals in 26 games.
Papiss Cisse has weighed in with 10 goals but the Senegal star remains somewhat fragile following a long-term injury lay-off while Ayoze Perez has proven useful, but a work in progress.
Facundo Ferreyra and Emmanuel Riviere have both so far disappointed for different reasons and with Siem de Jong likely to be sidelined until the summer, Newcastle face a difficult few months.
On loan at Ajax from Bayer Leverkusen, Milik has the option to sign for the Amsterdam giants at the end of the season but could decide otherwise if the Magpies make their rumoured interest into something more formal.
Sign the Pole this summer and the Toon could find their goalscoring problems solved for next season but lose out on the youngster and another bleak campaign may await.
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