Newcastle United are set to pocket a fee of £3million as they green light a transfer reunion between Blackburn Rovers and striker Adam Armstrong, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claim on their website that manager Rafael Benitez has told the Newcastle-born hitman that he is surplus to requirements and St James’ Park and after a number of Championship clubs showed interest, it was Rovers who came out on top with a seven figure offer.
Armstrong spent the second half of last season on loan at Ewood Park to help the club secure promotion from League One back to the second tier, and is set to return for an initial £1.75million fee, with another £1.25million in bonuses and add ons.
Opinion
Armstrong is another name to add to the list of young talents who have failed to make the grade after coming through Newcastle’s youth system, and it is starting to be a worrying trend for the Magpies. No one since Paul Dummett has come in and stayed as a regular member of the first team at St James’ Park and despite high hopes for Armstrong in recent years, he has not lived up to expectation. Cashing in, when Benitez is in such desperate need of funds, seems a sensible decision and it gives the striker the chance to settle himself down on a permanent basis, having been shipped out on loan a handful of times already. He already knows the team and staff at Blackburn and he obviously made a good impression if Rovers are willing to spend up to £3million on his capture – a fee which will give Benitez a little bit more to work with in what has been a difficult window so far.