Newcastle United: What do the Magpies need to do in the transfer market?
As Eddie Howe continues the rebuild job at Newcastle, Ninad Barbadikar analyses the areas they still need to address this summer.
What was the 2021/22 season like for Newcastle?
The 2021/22 season was one of two halves for the Magpies. The pre-Eddie Howe period and the post-Howe period.
In the first 19 games of the season, they lost ten times, leaving them bottom of the table on Matchday 12 of the Premier League which is around the time that Howe decided to take over.
Results would swiftly follow a January window of positive recruitment - Dan Burn was brought in on a permanent deal, while Matt Targett was secured on a short-term loan.
Kieran Trippier's long-awaited move to Tyneside was completed along with Chris Wood joining from Burnley. The cherry on top of the cake was the signing of Bruno Guimarães from Lyon.
Changes were made tactically as well. Joelinton was repurposed into the role of a box-to-box midfielder which has revitalised the Brazilian's Newcastle career.
Of the final 19 games of the season, the Magpies lost just five games, resulting in a 11th placed finish which had seemed unimaginable a few months earlier.
Those additions in the January window had a ripple effect in the team's marginal gains on the pitch. Newcastle ended the season with 12 goals from set-pieces which more than made up for their creative shortcomings in open play.
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So what are Newcastle's problem areas?
Goals are a clear problem area for Howe's side. Last season, they had an xGF (Expected Goals For) of just 30.80 from open play which was the fourth worst in the Premier League.
Only Brentford, Norwich and Burnley had a lower total.
The signing of Wood was an attempt at a quick fix and to give the Magpies different options in attack to Callum Wilson. However, with only two goals to show for his time so far, the New Zealand striker has underwhelmed to say the least.
The club's much documented pursuit of Hugo Ekitike has been put to an end with PSG swooping in to secure his services after Newcastle attempted to sign him both this summer and in January as well.
The need for a versatile attacker who can deputise across the front three roles is crucial. So far the club has been linked with moves for Amine Gouiri, Jonathan Burkardt and Armando Broja.
While the latter is a target for several Premier League sides, Gouiri and Burkardt are unlikely to leave their clubs, Nice and Mainz respectively, any time soon.
It may be wiser to address this position with a quality short-term signing and revisit the team's needs next summer. With a significant transfer outlay already completed so far in deals for Sven Botman, Nick Pope and Targett, Newcastle will have to be shrewd in their spending.
Solutions in attack
With that in mind, Atalanta's Duvan Zapata is an excellent option. At 31, Zapata is an ideal short-term fix for Newcastle this summer. The Colombia international has a great deal of experience in Serie A and has impressed in the Champions League in recent seasons as well.
Last season, Zapata scored 10 times from an xG of 13.43 in Serie A as Atalanta finished outside the European places after qualifying for the Champions League in 2020-21.
Zapata can play as a lone forward and is also effective in a front two. Comfortable in hold-up play and linking up with runners around him, Zapata's profile will offer Newcastle several benefits.
Playing in an Atalanta side that dominated possession during most games, Zapata was also able to generate a large volume of shots, averaging 4.28 shots per 90 minutes and an xG of 0.71 per 90 according to Infogol.
Given his age and the fact he has just two years left on his contract, Zapata might become available at a bargain price for Howe if he chooses to pursue him.
Another option, of a different type of profile, is Espanyol's Raul de Tomas. The Spain international scored 17 times from an xG of 16.96 in the 21/22 La Liga season. De Tomas is more of an offensive facilitator rather than an out-and-out striker.
Although his tally of 17 included five penalties, De Tomas' goals have come from all kinds of situations and he poses a threat to opposition defences in a multitude of ways.
Comfortable with scoring using either foot, progressing the ball into dangerous areas and possessing an impressive ability to link play, it is therefore no wonder that several Premier League sides including Newcastle are enquiring about his services this summer, given his status at Espanyol and profile within the Spanish national set-up.
A younger option who might be available for a cut-price deal is Lorient's Terem Moffi. The Nigeria international scored eight goals from an xG of 9.49 in Ligue 1 last season. Moffi is best when used as a supporting striker in a front two and could give Howe some interesting combinations to tinker with in attack.
Age-wise Moffi is the right fit too, at just 23 his best years are still ahead of him and he could serve Newcastle well in the short and long term.
Wingers also wanted on the Tyne
Another area to address is the right flank for Newcastle. The club is short of options in that area and while Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron can play there, they could still do with an out-and-out right winger.
This is where their pursuit of Moussa Diaby comes into the picture. After 13 goals and 12 assists in the Bundesliga, the France international is hot property and will require Newcastle to pay a premium fee for his talents. While the club remains active in pursuing his services, secondary options have to be considered.
In that regard, Villareal's Samuel Chukwueze is an interesting option. The Nigeria international is not a nailed-on starter for Villarreal but has impressed whenever he's featured.
With three goals and three assists in the 21/22 La Liga season, his numbers do not make for great reading on face value, however, his underlying numbers remain strong.
He averaged 0.29 xA (Expected Assists) per 95 in La Liga last season and had an xG of 0.30 per 95. His shooting is not his best asset, however, and he still needs work on that area of his game.
He did, though, leave his mark in the Champions League last season, scoring against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals to help Villarreal reach the last four.
Chukwueze's burst of acceleration to get past defenders and one-v-one ability make him an immediate threat off the right.
VILLARRAEL HAVE SNATCHED IT LATE IN MUNICH!! 😱
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 12, 2022
Samuel Chukwueze comes off the bench and scores huge goal for Unai Emery's side.
Bayern are heading out of the Champions League!#UCL pic.twitter.com/bPZHoo6yrX
He is also an effective progressor of the ball and averaged 7.88 progressive carries in 21-22, according to FBref - he also lies in the 83rd percentile for that metric across all wingers in the top five European leagues.
Another option to consider from Ligue 1 would be Franck Honorat. The 25-year-old scored 11 goals from an xG of 4.48 in the 21-22 season. He also assisted four goals from an xA of 6.46.
Honorat's influence is most felt in the final third of the pitch, with his runs beyond the last line of the defence attacking the penalty area. Defensively, Honorat is quite active as well, averaging 2.35 tackles per 95 with a success rate of 72%.
Having attackers who can win the ball higher up the pitch will help Howe's side control games better in the middle and final third.
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