In a recent report, the Chronicle has claimed that Newcastle United are among the front runners for Wigan Athletic forward Kyle Joseph this summer. It is believed that the Magpies could face competition from other Premier League clubs as well as Celtic in pursuit of the League One striker at the end of this campaign (via The Chronicle).
Joseph’s Rapid Rise In English Football
The 19-year-old has come through the youth ranks of Wigan and deserves credit for breaking out as a first-team starter at the DW Stadium this season. Joseph has been involved in 20 matches for the Latics this term, finding the back of the net on five occasions and securing one assist in multiple competitions.
The promising youngster has caught the eye by averaging 1.8 shots, 0.3 key passes and 1.0 dribbles per game in this League One campaign. However, he needs to work on improving his accuracy when distributing the ball as he has only completed 60.1% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored)
The early signs have been quite encouraging from Joseph, so it is no surprise that a club of Newcastle’s profile are one of the leading contenders to secure his signature when the transfer window commences later this year.
What Will The Scottish Prospect Bring To St. James’ Park?
Joseph is a quick and agile forward who has added some goals to his game this season. Standing at 1.86m, he can be a real handful for the opposition and has got the strength to get the better of his marker in and around the penalty area. However, the Scottish prospect is still quite raw and would need time to hone his skills and be a regular starter at the highest level.
If Newcastle are looking to invest in young players, it makes sense for them to recruit an up-and-coming talent like Joseph as he has the potential to become a future starter at St. James’ Park. The Wigan whizkid could bring some goals to Steve Bruce’s frontline that has been ravaged by injuries this season.
He will even increase competition for places within Newcastle’s squad in this off-season. With all things considered, Bruce should think about bringing Joseph to Tyneside as a manager of his experience will be the perfect man to nurture his development and grow him into a future star in English football.
