Newcastle United are looking to make amends for the disastrous start to their campaign in the Premier League this season and get back to winning ways. However, the lack of better players and the unavailability of funds to rope in a few players have left them in a complicated situation as the possibility of facing the battle for survival looms large on them.
Rafa Benitez, however, is looking to beef up his squad by bringing in reinforcements. Though there has been no concrete promise of funds to be made available from owner Mike Ashley, the Spaniard reportedly has a few names on his target list, and the one on the top of the list is Sunderland striker Josh Maja.
The young forward has made heads turn this season with his sublime skills and goal-scoring prowess and has been undoubtedly the best player for the Black Cats in the Third Division. According to Mail Online, Newcastle United have a profound interest in the 14 goal striker and are looking to table a bid for him in the January transfer market.
The Magpies have found it hard to get the ball into the opposition net, and that has not helped their cause in the Premier League. Salomon Rondon, the on-loan striker from West Bromwich Albion, has done the bulk of scoring for the Tyneside club this season so far with six goals.
However, Ayoze Perez, Yoshinori Muto and Joselu have not been able to take their chances this season, which has made the arrival of a top-quality striker at St James Park the biggest priority for the Magpies.
Maja has not only been scoring goals this season, but he has also helped his teammates with two assists and has been one of the most feared forwards in League One. He could be a handy addition to the Newcastle squad, and Rafa Benitez should be happy to have someone as agile and confident as Maja to lead the line for his team.
However, given the fact that top-flight English football is an entirely different and a much harder level than that of the Third Division, there might be a little element of risk in bringing someone like Maja to St James Park. After all, he has no prior experience of playing in the Premier League. However, given his current form and his ability to score goals from a variety of ranges, the young Sunderland striker could very well be a risk worth taking for Rafa Benitez.
