Chronicle Live reporter Mark Douglas has revealed that Newcastle United could potentially be set to receive a transfer windfall from the sell-on clause for Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong.
A whopping great one, according to #brfc. Reckon around 20/30% but I did hear a suggestion it was more. Toney will 100% be a PL regular but not really sure on Arma
— Mark Douglas (@MsiDouglas) November 28, 2020
Armstrong was never able to fully convince during his time at St James’ Park, failing to score in 21 senior games for Newcastle, but he has demonstrated his potential quality during the last year-and-a-half with Blackburn. The 23-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign in the Championship last season, with 16 goals and six assists for Rovers in 46 appearances (Sofascore).
The forward would have been aiming to better that tally this time around and he is already just three goals away from matching his scoring output from last term. Armstrong is currently averaging a goal per game for Rovers, netting 13 goals in as many appearances as he leads the scoring charts in the English second tier.
That impressive run of form has seen the former Newcastle prospect begin to attract the attention of West Ham, who are believed to be keeping a watchful eye over him ahead of the January transfer window. Rovers have previously indicated that the forward would not be available on the cheap, with a valuation of around £30m being placed on him, per Lancashire Live.
Were West Ham to firm up their interest and make a move, it could potentially be very profitable for the Magpies, with Newcastle having a sell-on clause of around 20% to 30% according to Douglas. Having sold Armstrong for just £1.75m, the sell-on clause could see the Tynesiders earn even more than that if the 23-year-old returns to the Premier League.
Read Newcastle verdict
Armstrong’s permanent departure from Newcastle in 2018 was a move which made sense at the time, with the striker unable to convince Rafa Benitez he was able to break into the first team straight away at that stage. It was therefore beneficial for him to move on and obtain regular minutes to fulfil his potential.
He has certainly done that at Blackburn and his form and performances this season have been excellent. He is averaging an impressive 3.5 shots and 0.8 key passes per game (Sofascore), marking him out as one of the best attacking players outside of the Premier League.
It is therefore no surprise to see the likes of West Ham become interested in him, and with finances tight for the Magpies, a potential windfall from a £30m transfer could be a major boost to their resources for Steve Bruce to spend in the winter window.
