In a recent interview with The Transfer Tavern, former England striker Dean Windass has tipped Newcastle United to recruit VfL Wolfsburg forward Wout Weghorst this summer. Windass said,
“He’s a big lad. Steve likes a big number nine; he always has done. I just think that Steve needs a big, fit number nine, Joelinton has struggled with the price-tag.
“Anyone who fills the number nine shirt is up against it with Alan. But he is a threat and Steve likes that, that’s his type of player. Every manager in the world will be looking for players, and Steve will be very interested.”
Weghorst’s Excellent Record In German Football Last Season
It was a memorable campaign for the Borne-born talent as he banged in plenty of important goals as the focal point of the Wolfsburg attack. Weghorst made 41 appearances for the German club last season, netting 25 goals and securing nine assists in the process across all competitions.
The 28-year-old gave a good account of himself by averaging 2.7 shots, 1.3 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign. However, the Dutch striker was a bit sloppy with his ball distribution after completing 66.1% of his attempted passes in the German top tier (stats via whoscored).
Will Weghorst Be A Good Option For The Magpies?
Weghorst excels at generating a yard of space for himself to get a few shots in on-target. He has transformed himself into a prolific finisher in the final third and can also contribute by setting up some decent chances for others around him. The Dutch sensation can use his towering 1.97m frame to dominate the opposition in the air and is proficient at scoring with some well-timed headers in front of the opponent’s goal. However, he needs to improve his link-up play if he wants to be a success story at the highest level.
Newcastle would be wise to move in for Weghorst as he is currently playing at the top of his game and could prove to be an ideal target man at St. James’ Park next season. He will add plenty of goals and physicality to the Magpies’ attack that might help them compete for a top-half finish in the Premier League.
Weghorst will be a significant upgrade over Joelinton and Andy Carroll. Plus, he could offer some serious competition for Callum Wilson in the race to secure a place in Bruce’s starting XI in the coming seasons. All in all, the Wolfsburg star will be a decent option for the Tyneside outfit as he would undoubtedly add more firepower to their frontline that struggled to be consistent in terms of goal-scoring in the previous campaign.
