OPINION
Newcastle United must avoid signing Aston Villa forward Jonathan Kodjia like the plague this summer after it was reported that the injury-hit 28-year-old has emerged on Rafa Benitez’s radar.
The Magpies are in desperate need of bolstering their strikeforce before the Premier League season kicks off next month, and the Express & Star has now reported that Kodjia is being lined up as a potential candidate to solve the club’s lack of goals.
However this would be a grave mistake by Benitez and the St James’ Park transfer chiefs.
Kodjia only managed to score one goal in 18 appearances last season as the ex-Bristol City striker struggled to overcome an injury he suffered towards the end of the 2016/17 campaign.
He had to undergo ankle surgery and that severely halted his run of form at Villa Park.
And even before he broke down with injury, Kodjia was not exactly showing the form in the Championship that should be attracting a Premier League team with the ambitions of Newcastle.
Kodjia is just a worse version of Dwight Gayle, and what’s the point in downgrading on the current options at St James’ Park if they are not even deemed to be good enough?
According to the Mirror, Kodjia is earning £35,000-a-week on his deal at Aston Villa and due to the financial crisis at the Championship club, he could be made available this summer in order to comply with Financial Fair Play rules.
However even though he would certainly be affordable for the Magpies, they should really avoid him at all costs.