Newcastle United journalist Liam Kennedy has been discussing Duvan Zapata and a potential move in the January transfer window.
Whilst Newcastle have a problem at the back – which currently sees them in possession of the second-worst record when it comes to goals conceded in the Premier League with 43 – scoring goals has also been a problem for them too, as they hold the fourth-worst record in the league with just 21 in as many games.
They have brought in Chris Wood from Burnley to try and help matters, but they could use all the help they can get in their battle to stay in the division. And according to reports, Zapata is a name that Newcastle have been interested in for a large part of this window as they look to address the forward situation.
Speaking on a recent edition of NUFC Matters, Kennedy claims that Zapata has actually been a name that has been circulating around the club far beyond just this transfer window, although he did also state that a deal like this might not be a straightforward one for them to complete.
He said: “I don’t know on that deal. It might be a tough one to do. Again, do clubs really want to sell those level of quality of players? I’m not really 100% certain they do at this stage.
“But he is a player that’s been on Newcastle United’s scouting radar for about the best part of the last 4-5 years. He has been somebody that they’ve kept a close eye on, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s high up on their list of targets given that Steve Nickson’s got a heavy hand in picking transfer targets for this window.”
TIF Thoughts on Liam Kennedy’s comments about Duvan Zapata and Newcastle United…
Do Newcastle need another striker?
Yes!
No!
Given Zapata’s record in recent seasons – hitting double digits for league goals in each of the past five campaigns and well on his way to making it six this season – you could see why Newcastle might be interested in bringing him on board.
But as Kennedy hints, it’s down to whether or not a club like Atalanta would be willing to let him go, because it’s clear with his goals that he’s an important figure to them, and given how tight the battle is for a Champions League spot in Italy, letting him go might not be an easy decision for them to make.
So it might take a blockbuster offer for them to even consider letting him go. But with so little time left in the window – time, you’d imagine, that Atalanta would need to find a replacement – if Newcastle want to make the deal happen, they are going to have to do it fast before the window shuts next week.
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