OPINION
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink delivered his verdict on Tammy Abraham ahead of Aston Villa taking on Leeds on Sunday and it shows how Newcastle United shouldn’t be pursuing the attacker’s signature anytime soon.
The London Evening Standard claimed that the Magpies were readying an approach to sign Chelsea-owned Abraham, he is currently on loan at the Villans, with the Premier League side perhaps open to cashing in on him.
The Northern Echo also reported that Rafa Benitez was pushing for the Magpies hierarchy to pursue the 21-year-old forward who has scored 12 goals in 16 league appearances this season as he is a long term admirer of the youngster.
However the Magpies boss is clearly barking up the wrong tree on this occasion as Abraham would not excel at the Magpies and Hasselbaink’s verdict proves it.
The retired forward was asked what the forward needed to do to transform into an establish Premier League performer and Hasselbaink simply claimed he needed to play in a dominant team.
“The thing is with this boy when he plays in a dominant team who has a lot of the ball possession and plays a lot in the opposition’s third, he will scored goals,” said Hasselbaink on Sky Sports Main Event (Sunday December 23rd, 13:10).
“The kind of player that he is around that area, he is lethal and dangerous.
“I think he doesn’t need to work on a lot (to be Premier League quality) he just needs to be in a dominate team where he is provided a lot of chances, he played for Swansea in the Premiership where he played a lot more away from the goal and that was a problem for him.”
Given that Newcastle United are clearly in a relegation battle this season, it’s unlikely they going to dominate games and play the sort of football Abraham thrives off.
Benitez needs to welcome a player who can excel in front of goal but also hold the ball up when his side are up against it and Abraham just like Hasslebaink explains isn’t that sort of player.
When you consider that the Magpies are unlikely to welcome multiple players to boost their goal threat based on their track record in recent transfers windows, Benitez can’t afford to pursue a player like Abraham.