Newcastle are preparing to reignite their summer-long pursuit of Fulham playmaker Tom Cairney, according to the Northern Echo.
The regional newspaper claim that manager Rafael Benitez will urge the club’s recruitment team to exploit Fulham’s poor form by tabling a January bid for the 26-year-old.
The Northern Echo report that the Championship side rejected a £20million bid from Newcastle for the Scotland international during the summer window before he signed a new Fulham contract in July.
Cairney was targeted by Newcastle following a season in which he was one of the outstanding players in the second tier as he nearly spearheaded Fulham back to the Premier League.
The Scotland international was the only player in the Championship to provide over ten assists and goals, with his 45 league matches yielding 12 goals and 11 assists.
He was also rewarded with a place in the PFA’s Team of the Year for the second division and a debut for Scotland in their 1-1 draw against Canada in March.
Good move for Newcastle?
Definitely. Cairney has had a difficult season in which he has missed six weeks with a knee injury but he showed in Fulham’s nearly-but-not-quite promotion bid last season that he is one of the outstanding players in the Championship with the potential to thrive at the highest level. Benitez certainly thinks so, after seeing plenty of the left-footed font of creativity during his season in the second tier. Cairney scores and creates goals, and makes teams tick with his touch, technique and radar-precise passing. His stunning assists record at Fulham and former clubs Blackburn Rovers and Hull City – 39 from 226 Championship appearances – mark him out as a real dangerman.
This Is Futbol rating 8/10
Likely to happen?
Benitez will be aware of the difficulties at Fulham, who are languishing in 17th in the Championship with speculation mounting about Slavisa Jokanovic’s job. Promotion looks extremely unlikely, and a turn-of-the-year offer from Newcastle for the playmaker could just get the desired result.
This Is Futbol rating 6/10