Football club Newcastle has outlined a pair of prospective candidates following the rejection of Benjamin Sesko's potential signing.
In the ongoing transfer saga at Newcastle United, the Premier League club is actively pursuing new striker options following the loss of the chance to sign Benjamin Sesko, who opted for Manchester United instead.
The Magpies' confirmed alternatives are primarily Samu Aghehowa from FC Porto and Yoane Wissa from Brentford, with potential interest in Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea.
Aghehowa, a prolific goalscorer with 27 goals last season for FC Porto, is considered the leading alternative striker. However, his imposing physical style and high valuation could pose a significant hurdle, with reports suggesting a transfer fee of around £70 million.
Wissa, on the other hand, is seen as a more immediate and realistic option. The Brentford striker scored 19 Premier League goals last season and a deal is expected soon, possibly before September 1, with an estimated transfer fee of about £35 million.
Newcastle is also opening talks for Jackson, a forward currently at Chelsea. However, his signing is less certain due to competition from Tottenham and Bayern Munich, and no confirmed fee is specified yet.
These signings come after Newcastle lost the opportunity to sign Sesko, who reportedly attracted bids near £70 million from both Newcastle and Manchester United, with the latter ultimately prevailing. Newcastle's priority remains finding a top-class striker to replace Alexander Isak, who is expected to join Liverpool this summer.
Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa is another alternative striker target for Newcastle. In the Premier League last season, Watkins scored 16 times and provided eight assists.
Lois Openda from Leipzig has also been added to Newcastle's list of potential targets. The German forward netted nine goals and provided nine assists in the Bundesliga last season.
Despite two bids for Wissa being rejected, he remains a target for Newcastle, with the club reportedly planning to soften their approach to negotiations if they find a replacement. Wissa recently boycotted training with Brentford last month in an attempt to force a transfer to Newcastle.
Chelsea are open to selling Jackson for a price believed to be around £80 million or loaning him out with an obligation to buy at the end of the deal. However, the arrival of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro at Chelsea this transfer window could reduce Jackson's potential gametime.
In total, Watkins has 75 goals to his name in the top-flight. Should Newcastle wish to move for Wissa as a Sesko alternative, they would likely have to pay upwards of £50 million.
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- Newcastle United is exploring the transfer of Samu Aghehowa from FC Porto, a reported £70 million acquisition who netted 27 goals last season, serving as the leading alternative striker.
- Yoane Wissa from Brentford, with an estimated transfer fee of approximately £35 million, is viewed as a more immediate and realistic option, having scored 19 Premier League goals last season.
- Newcastle is also considering the signing of Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, although competition from Tottenham and Bayern Munich makes his acquisition less certain.
- sensible to pay upwards of £50 million for Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa as a potential striker alternative, given he scored 16 goals and provided 8 assists in the Premier League last season.
- Lois Openda from Leipzig has also been identified as a potential striker target for Newcastle, having scored 9 goals and provided 9 assists in the Bundesliga last season.
