According to the Express, Newcastle United are interested in acquiring the services of Habib Diallo. The Metz forward has been identified as one of the potential targets of Steve Bruce ahead of the January window. Diallo is valued only at £7m by Metz, but the Magpies could face significant competition from Leicester City in pursuit of the Senegalese international.
Diallo’s steady rise to prominence
A product of the Generation Foot academy in Senegal, Diallo moved to Metz back in 2013. But, unlike most youngsters, it was a slow ride for him as he had to spend a couple of loan spells at Stade Brest since being promoted to the senior side in 2017.
Diallo wasn’t exactly prolific during his second loan spell at Brest, scoring nine goals in 33 matches. But, it was when he returned to Metz last summer that he really started to prove his worth. Indeed, the Senegalese bagged a whopping 26 goals in 37 Ligue 2 matches, helping his club gain promotion back to the top flight.
Metz have struggled in Ligue 1 so far. However, Diallo’s eight goals in 11 matches mean that he has scored an incredible 72% of the club’s goals in the league this term. His performances in front of goal also helped him earn a debut in the Senegalese national team in November of last year.
What can he bring to the table?
Diallo is not a technical forward by any means. He is not someone you can rely on when it comes to operating as a ball-carrier and creating space for teammates. But, what he lacks in technicality, the 24-year-old more than makes up for it with his physical presence and sharpness in attack.
Indeed, Diallo can pose a serious threat on the counter, thanks to his impressive positioning sense in the final third. Moreover, he loves to test the goalkeeper from a distance, meaning the Metz forward can also be described as a snapshooter. And it comes as no surprise if we look at his incredible scoring records over the past 18 months.
Should Newcastle United make a move for Diallo?
Newcastle United are in desperate need of a new striker, following the departures of Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon. New signing Joelinton has struggled to find the back of the net while Andy Carroll has barely featured.
Diallo, to that end, has what it takes to revamp the club’s goalscoring department. As iterated earlier, the Metz striker is blessed with the ideal set of traits that could help him thrive in the Premier League. And given his fairly cheap price-tag, he could turn out to be a smart piece of business for the Tyneside outfit.
But, at the same time, Newcastle must beat Leicester City first, if they are to have any hopes of signing Diallo in the upcoming January transfer window.
