- Newcastle United interested in Chelsea striker transfer
- Nick Woltemade could be unsettled on Tyneside
- Magpies already have Yoane Wissa and William Osula
Newcastle United are ‘immediately targeting’ a transfer swoop for Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson this summer after reports that the Bayern Munich star will return to his parent club and not make the move to Germany permanent.
The latest transfer rumour comes after a toothless display in the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. William Osula led the line again but missed an early golden opportunity, while Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade remain just options from the bench despite costing more than £100 million between them.
In search of a new No 9, talkSPORT reports that The Magpies could move for Nicolas Jackson upon his return to the UK this summer.
Harry Kane has been ahead of him in the pecking order at Bayern, and Munich director of sport Max Eberl has already stated they will not be exercising his option to buy.
Nicolas Jackson on Newcastle United transfer shortlist
The current solutions for the Magpies up top are Woltemade, Wissa and Osula. All three have been expected to step into the shoes left vacant by Alexander Isak. None have stood up to the challenge.
Wissa has been particularly poor for a £50 million transfer; whether that’s due to injury, a bad attitude or simply poor performances, it’s been a bust of a transfer at this stage.
Whereas for Osula, he has been a reliable option lately, having scored against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth in the Premier League, though he still shows signs of rashness and a drop in quality compared to fellow English sides.
Jackson has played at the top level now for several seasons, from La Liga to the Premier League and now the Bundesliga. He had plenty of critics during his time at Stamford Bridge, but he did find the back of the net 30 times in 81 appearances.
As the campaign heads towards the finish line, the Senegal international has stepped up his form, with six goal contributions in his last five Bundesliga outings.
European football expert, Andy Brassell, spoke to talkSPORT about Jackson and why he’d be available this summer.
He said: “I think it’s hard to see Nicolas Jackson staying at Chelsea just because he’s got a market value, which is at least partially attributable to his age.
“When he’s come in, he’s not let Bayern down. He’s not sulked when he’s had to come off the bench.”
Trust Nick Woltemade, not Jackson
The 24-year-old Bayern loanee is a fine forward. You don’t magically turn up at a team like the German giants if you aren’t good enough.
However, Vincent Kompany’s team were after the Black and Whites forward before they turned their attention to Jackson.
Woltemade has a skillset that very few possess. An ability to create actions for his teammates, as seen during his midfield stints, while also being dependable when the ball breaks his way.
We’re yet to see what the German fully has to offer in the Premier League, although Howe may have already decided that the giant talisman is not someone he wants to work with.
Woltemade continues to find himself on the bench and sparked speculation on social media over the weekend amid claims he may have removed Newcastle United from his Instagram bio. The timing of this renewed Jackson rumour certainly coincides with the idea that Woltemade may push for an exit.
In other news, Bruno Guimaraes confirms Newcastle United injury concern ahead of Brighton.
