Newcastle United chief scout Steve Nickson has sent club officials to see an “immense” international star this week, viewing him as a replacement for Callum Wilson.
Newcastle could sell ageing heroes this summer
The Magpies have had a season to forget for so many reasons, with their performances in the Premier League and Champions League not good enough, and fitness problems holding them back greatly. Sven Botman‘s cruel new ACL injury, which could keep him out for the reminder of 2024, sums up their luck in the fitness department in 2023/24.
This summer needs to be one of change at St James’ Park and it could be that a number of Newcastle’s older heroes are moved on, getting them off the club’s wage bill and allowing others to come in.
Kieran Trippier is one individual who falls into that bracket, with the 33-year-old not at his best this season and also currently out injured, and Wilson is another who has struggled to be available for lengthy periods, turning 32 last month and no longer representing the future.
In truth, there are quite a few Magpies stars now in their 30s who could also be expendable come the end of the campaign, including Dan Burn and Fabian Schar, and the club have big decisions to make.
Newcastle eyeing “immense” attacking star
According to HITC, Newcastle are interested in signing RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko this summer, with Nickson sending people at the club to see him. The “recruitment team are understood to be continuing their work on potential options” and they have turned their attention to the 20-year-old, with Wlison “likely to leave” this summer.
The update also states that the Magpies “were the first Premier League team to spot Sesko’s potential before he joined his current club RB Leipzig”, showing that he has been a long-time target.
This could be a perfect piece of business when it comes to replacing Wilson ahead of next season, assuming the veteran attacker does move on, as appears to be widely expected.
|
2023/24 Domestic League Stats |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
23 |
16 |
20 |
|
Starts |
11 |
8 |
17 |
|
Goals |
7 |
7 |
12 |
|
Assists |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Shots per game |
1.3 |
1.9 |
2.2 |
|
Dribbles per game |
0.5 |
0.8 |
1.3 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
At just 20, the Leipzig star has already achieved so much, scoring 11 goals in 26 caps for Slovenia, becoming a key leader of the attack at such a young age.
On top of that, he has netted 11 times in 34 outings for Leipzig, making the adjustment to the Bundesliga impressively, and he has been called “immense” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, as well as a “future goalscoring machine”.
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He’s only managed one goal in 15 appearances so far this season.
Newcastle already have Alexander Isak as a superb option, too, which would give Sesko a chance to ease himself in at a big Premier League club, rather than having huge pressure on his shoulders to perform as a key starter from the off.
