The Newcastle United fans in the Transfer Tavern are hoping their club will sign a handful of attacking players this summer to improve their potency in the final-third next season.
Rafa Benitez’s side successfully steered clear of a relegation battle last season thanks to some determined performances in the final months of the season. The likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Mo Diame dug deep to lead the Magpies out of trouble, but their survival bid also owed a debt to Ayoze Perez’s upturn in form.
The Spanish number ten overcame a difficult spell to score 6 goals and provide 3 assists from Newcastle’s final 12 matches, finishing as the club’s top-goalscorer in the process. However, Benitez cannot continue to rely on his compatriot to provide an attacking spark next season so he will need to venture into the transfer market to sign a new number ten.
With that in mind, Benitez should recommend Sergio Canales to the Newcastle hierarchy as the 27-year-old is set to become a free agent after 4 years with Real Sociedad. The Spanish playmaker is far from a world beater, but he represents excellent value for a club who are notoriously strapped for cash and unwilling to spend in the transfer market.
With 5 goals and 11 assists to his name last season, Canales is a player who possesses the ability to use his favoured left-foot to prise open defences from a variety of attacking midfield positions, so he would undoubtedly be an excellent addition to the Magpies’ squad.
Ayoze Perez’s progress towards the end of the season was a promising sign for the Newcastle supporters who voiced plenty of criticism in his direction throughout the campaign, but he will only be able to improve with extra competition for first-team places.
Mike Ashley’s questionable history in the transfer market suggests Newcastle will adopt a pragmatic approach to the summer window, so bringing Canales to the club on a free transfer is a deal which should naturally appeal to the unpopular owner.
Newcastle fans – thoughts? Let us know below!
