According to the latest reports, Newcastle United have been urged to join the race to sign Belgian winger Leandro Trossard. The former u-21 international plies his trade for Belgian giants Genk where he started his career. The 23-year-old is predominantly a left winger but can play in a more central role as well, either as a secondary striker or as a no.10. Southampton have already been linked with him, and the Magpies are now looking to enter the race for this talented attacking player.
One can understand why the Magpies are after an attacking outlet as only Huddersfield Town and Crystal Palace have scored fewer goals than them. Rafael Benitez is under severe pressure after the recent run of results, and only a good January window might be a possible escape from relegation for the Toons.
Trossard is currently out with hamstring injury, but he has lit up the scene in the Belgium top tier and even in the Europa League with his performances. So far the winger has played 17 games in all competitions scoring 15 times and assisting 4. Even for an out and out striker, those numbers would have been fantastic let alone for a winger. If he continues with such high returns, we are sure some top clubs would also start taking him into consideration.
Southampton are also pretty much on the same boat as the Tyneside outfit as both of them have scored just six goals so far so one can expect even the Saints to go after him hard in the January window. Like most of the wingers around the globe, Trossard has tremendous pace and some good dribbling skills but what sets him apart is the goal threat which he carries because of a mean right-foot which he possesses.
He is electric in and around the penalty box, and this is not the first season where he is finding the back of the net with such regularity.
Currently, Benitez has Chelsea loanee Kenedy and Christian Atsu as possible options in the left wing role. Both of them are hard working and puts in a big shift, but they both lack the cutting edge to carve open defences by scoring goals regularly. Kenedy is also just on a season-long loan so it makes sense for Newcastle to spend heavily on Trossard to solve the winger’s problem for the future.
The pulling and tugging between the owner and the manager has hurt the club enough, and if things aren’t set right in the next few months, the Magpies can again be facing down the relegation barrel. Someone like Trossard can galvanise the St. James’ Park and the club should go all out in January to sign him.
