OPINION
Newcastle United have essentially secured their Premier League status for another year after a brilliant run of form that has seen them climb into tenth place, and the club can now start looking to the future.
Manager Rafa Benitez looks certain to stay on for another season, and the Magpies must now try and identify those players which they can bring in to strengthen the squad and help them avoid a relegation fight next season.
One area where the club will need serious reinforcements is in attack, with Benitez’s men having scored just 35 goals in their 34 games so far this season.
While their all-round play has meant they have avoided trouble at the business end of the season, they will need to be scoring more goals than that if they want to climb the table next term.
As reported by the Daily Mail, West Bromwich Albion star Nacer Chadli is set to be available for just £17million this summer, with the Belgium international having a relegation release clause written in to his contract.
While Chadli would not set the world alight for the Magpies, he would no doubt be a solid addition to their forward line, which is in dire need of reinforcements.
The 28-year-old wide man has vast Premier League experience with both West Brom and Tottenham Hotspur, and he would have no trouble bedding in to the club quickly and seamlessly.
Chadli’s versatility will offer Benitez plenty of options for him to start or come off the bench, with the powerful forward able to play on the flank or through the middle, both in midfield and as a striker.
His aerial prowess is a big weapon of his, and that is something that the Magpies have been missing this season with players such as Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Perez failing to trouble defenders in the air.
At £17million, Chadli is a snip in terms of today’s transfer market, and Benitez must swoop before someone else inevitably comes in and beats him to it.