Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has begun work on his January transfer targets and is looking to improve two key positions, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper reports that the Magpies chief is looking to improve his striker options, as well as adding more competition for his starting full backs.
The Spaniard wants another proven goalscorer to join Salomon Rondon and Joselu as centre forwards, with the manager considering Yoshinori Muto and Ayoze Perez number tens.
It is understood that the teams’ scouts are already searching throughout Europe as they attempt to whittle down the shortlist of targets ready for Benitez come January.
OPINION
Both of these positions are areas of need for Newcastle. Having Rondon and Joselu as your sole options at centre forward is not a particularly good place to be for a top flight club, and a proven Premier League goalscorer wouldn’t be a bad idea for Newcastle at this stage. Both DeAndre Yedlin and Paul Dummett are firmly entrenched as the team’s starters at the full back positions, and some added competition would do the world of good for both of them. Yedlin, in particular, has appeared a little too comfortable in his role as a starter and it would be good for him to have someone breathing down his neck and spurring him on to better performances. Overall, the news that Benitez is already looking at potential signings is a good indication that he does intend to stay at the club, at least until the end of the season.