Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Newcastle United - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - April 19, 2025 Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..
Newcastle United have not had the summer transfer window they were aiming for and have now missed out on another striker target.
The Magpies had been negotiating a move for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško for weeks, but today they suffered a major blow in their pursuit of the player.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein dropped a bombshell this morning, revealing that Manchester United are set to sign the Slovakian striker after he chose Old Trafford instead:
“Manchester United closing in on deal to sign Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig. #RBLeipzig accepted €82.5m + €2.5m bid from Newcastle United but 22yo striker wants #MUFC.
No club-to-club agreement yet but talks advancing towards conclusion.”
This will be incredibly frustrating for Eddie Howe and the hierarchy, as it marks the fourth centre-forward they have missed out on, after also placing bids for Hugo Ekitike and João Pedro, while a deal for Yoane Wissa is looking increasingly difficult.
Nevertheless, Newcastle must move on swiftly if they are to bolster their attacking threat before the new Premier League season kicks off next weekend.
According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle have Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins on their radar as a potential option.
The publication also noted a few other strikers the club are interested in as alternatives to Šeško, including Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa.
Should Newcastle Sign Ollie Watkins?
The situation is far from ideal on Tyneside, especially with ongoing concern surrounding Alexander Isak’s future at the club.
The season ahead will be both challenging and exciting for the Magpies, with a golden opportunity in the Champions League to make their mark on European football.
Indeed, the ideal solution for Newcastle would be to sign a natural successor to Isak, covering themselves in the event he leaves either this summer or next, in order to future-proof the role.
However, with time running out in the transfer window, attention may now need to turn to securing a striker who can offer experience and consistent goal contributions.
Over 233 appearances for Villa, Watkins – once hailed as a “complete striker” by former teammate Bryan Mbeumo – has scored 87 goals and registered 42 assists, averaging a goal contribution every 137 minutes.
At 29 years old, the England international wouldn’t represent a long-term investment for the Tynesiders, but he would provide a ready-made Premier League striker with proven consistency and experience in front of goal.
In terms of the investment required, it has been reported that Villa would be willing to sell for £65m.
However, the Midlands club are in direct competition with Newcastle in their efforts to break into the top four, which could make a deal difficult to complete.
That said, the rollercoaster transfer window doesn’t look like it’s slowing down for Newcastle any time soon, and fans can expect more twists and turns in the final weeks.
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