Newcastle reportedly made a €28m bid for Mainz forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in the summer transfer window.
According to Sport Bild, via The Chronicle, Newcastle attempted to sign the striker in the last window, along with another seven clubs.
Twitter: €28m. https://t.co/OOC5C19fj2 (@ChronicleNUFC)
These Newcastle fans reacted to the claims…
Benteke in?
Twitter: @ChronicleNUFC Another no name striker. Better buy benteke (@Lucky16538099)
Did you?
Twitter: @ChronicleNUFC Yeah. And I made a £350m bid for the club ? (@MxGryphLane)
Panic buy…
Twitter: @NUFC360 Struggling to believe this considering how well in advance the Joelinton deal was worked out, if it’s true… https://t.co/527QWnsBJb (@DavidJG00615083)
Well…
Twitter: @NUFC360 Would have had Mateta over Joelinton any day! (@SeanyWillz)
Fantastic!
Twitter: @NUFC360 Would be a fantastic signing tbh. Much more suited to playing as a 9 than joelinton. Reminds me a lot of… https://t.co/QQ77HSlRWm (@Mobs_)
READ NEWCASTLE VERDICT
Mateta clearly seems to be a promising striker, given that he managed 14 goals in the Bundesliga last season. This was after he scored 17 goals in the second tier of French football the season before, for Le Havre.
The 22-year-old is also a French under-21 international and has scored three times for his country across various age levels. Newcastle, if reports of the bid are to be believed, clearly see something in him but opted to sign Joelinton instead – from Hoffenheim.
Joelinton has only managed one goal in eight Premier League games so far, whilst Mateta has missed the start to the season with Mainz due to injury. Have Newcastle made the right decision? That remains to be seen.
