Newcastle United striker targets - ranked
By Tom Gott
The first transfer window since Newcastle became the richest club on the planet was always going to be an interesting one.
The Magpies are looking at bolstering in a number of positions, and one of which is up top. Scouts have been looking all across the globe for potential striker signings, and all sorts of names have been thrown up.
With the threat of relegation very much still a real one, Newcastle can't afford to be too risky this month and need to make sure they find the right man to get them out of this hole, but which candidate fits the bill?
There are a lot of them, so strap in.
18. Odion Ighalo
Nope. We've been here before.
Next.
17. Bamba Dieng
Bamba Dieng has flashed some fun moments at Marseille, but he's a long way away from being Newcastle's saviour.
He's not even a regular at the French side yet, but if Newcastle want to sign him as one for the future, there'll be no complaints.
16. Jean-Philippe Mateta
If you want Premier League goals from your striker, maybe don't look at Crystal Palace?
Third in the pecking order behind Odsonne Edouard and Christian Benteke, Jean-Philippe Mateta is not the one.
15. Chris Wood
With all due respect to Chris Wood, making him the new focal point could be the most underwhelming move Newcastle could possibly think of.
Wood hasn't even been good this season (although Burnley being rubbish hasn't helped), so there's not much point in this one.
14. Bas Dost
A few years ago, this would have been an intriguing shout, but Bas Dost is no longer the towering, goalscoring behemoth he once was.
He can still get goals and could do a job as a backup, but the 32-year-old is on the decline and shouldn't be seen as the hero Newcastle need.
13. Randal Kolo Muani
With an expiring contract, Randal Kolo Muani could prove to be a nice bargain for any side.
He's having what can only be described as 'a contract year' with Nantes, but whether the 23-year-old can keep that form up is a different question entirely.
12. Dominic Solanke
This one hinges on whether you believe Dominic Solanke is finally ready for the Premier League.
He's going to be expensive, as a 24-year-old Englishman who has been firing in goals in the Championship, and that spend might prove to be too much of a risk.
11. Hugo Ekitike
There's a lot to like about 19-year-old Hugo Ekitike, but his inexperience isn't one of those things.
For a £30m fee, Newcastle could get the next Kylian Mbappe or it may not work out. With relegation looming, the risk may not be worth it.
10. Anthony Martial
Is Anthony Martial actually still good? There's obviously some quality in there, but how much?
Now 26, he doesn't look like he's ever going to earn Monaco that Ballon d'Or bonus, and he probably wouldn't offer much to Newcastle either.
9. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
A 32-year-old who is out of form, weighed down by disciplinary issues and earning an obscene amount of money doesn't exactly sound too appealing.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be lethal if he gets back to his best, but if he doesn't, he could be an expensive mistake. Pass.
8. Sardar Azmoun
He's unproven in a major league, but Sardar Azmoun scores goals.
The Zenit man has been tearing it up in Russia and, most importantly, has a pretty decent record in the Champions League. He can get goals at a good level.
7. Divock Origi
He's not exactly the most glamorous name on this list, but Divock Origi is a steady goalscorer who has proven he can hang in the Premier League.
Not that it really matters, but he'd also be significantly cheaper than most of the other targets on Newcastle's radar. It's low risk, high reward.
6. Gabriel Barbosa
Now tearing it up in Brazil, Gabigol looks ready for a return to Europe and he'll be desperate to avenge his poor spells with Inter and Benfica when he was younger.
That track record is an obvious concern, but Gabigol looks like a different player these days and Newcastle shouldn't be too scared to pull the trigger on him.
5. Moussa Dembele
Once an expensive target of the big boys, Moussa Dembele's stock has tumbled a bit recently after his spot at Lyon was taken by Memphis Depay a few years back.
Injuries have made his statistics look far worse than they really should, and Dembele could easily re-emerge as one of Europe's deadliest hitmen in the right surroundings.
4. Alfredo Morelos
Attitude problems will always lead to concerns about Alfredo Morelos, but in reality, he's a no-nonsense striker who knows where the goal is.
With 18 months left on his contract, Morelos could be lured from Rangers for a pretty reasonable fee, meaning there wouldn't be much of a risk to this one.
3. Alexander Isak
The jump in quality up to the top three is pretty noticeable.
Alexander Isak could easily be higher on this list, but he hasn't looked great this season. The goals he was drowning in last year have dried up but, at 22 years old, that's not a massive concern. It happens.
That being said, Isak is going to cost an obscene amount of money, and Newcastle could probably find more reliable options at that price point.
2. Darwin Nunez
Darwin Nunez has a unique role which could make him a dream signing for Newcastle. He's a second striker and thrives alongside another big name.
In this deeper role, Nunez has been scoring for fun at Benfica, and Newcastle should absolutely look at bringing him in and teaming him up with another heavy-hitter. Maybe someone like...
1. Patrik Schick
Euro 2020 hero Patrik Schick has been doing bits in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring goals at a ludicrous rate and attracting interest from some huge teams as a result.
If Schick keeps this form up, he's going to cost someone big money in the near future, and Newcastle would be wise to be the ones to spend that.