Are Newcastle About to Turn to THIS Championship Striker?

As the clock counts down to the end of the January transfer window, it appears the men behind the scenes are still working frantically to bring in a striker to Newcastle United.

In all honesty, we’ve had an excellent transfer window so far signing Jonjo Shelvey, Henri Saivet, and Andros Townsend. We’ve spent the most money this year of any club in European football – Quite the statistic given our recent record. It seems Mike Ashley has finally realised that investment was needed in a rundown squad. Here’s another little fact for you – Newcastle United have spent more this January than all the Bundesliga clubs combined.

Now that’s all well and good, but as the clock’s ticking, we still haven’t signed a striker. If you’ve been watching us this season, it’s clear for everyone to see how much we’re missing a real goalscorer. Aleksandar Mitrovic is trying, and he’s getting chances. I’ve every faith he’ll come good, but he needs time, and right now time is something Newcastle United don’t have.

It’s widely been reported that Newcastle WILL bring in a striker this month, and should the Magpies make an eleventh hour move the main targets seemed to be Alexandre Lacazette, Saido Berahino, or Bafetimbi Gomis. Today it was revealed Berahino would be staying at West Bromwich Albion, Lacazette still seems like a pipe-dream, and Gomis could still happen, with reports of Newcastle being in contact with the players agent, but there’s another name that has entered the fray in the last 48 hours and that is Jordan Rhodes.

That celebration looks familiar..

The Scotsman has never played at the highest level of English football, but has taken a very similar path to Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin. Rhodes, 25, burst onto the scene at Huddersfield where he scored 73 goals in 124 appearances over three seasons. That form earned him an £8m move to Championship club Blackburn Rovers, where he has an equally impressive record of 83 goals in 152 appearances, for the former champions of England.

The forward has 10 goals in 25 appearances in the Championship this season, and is averaging a goal every 218 minutes, which is close enough to one goal every two and a half games.

It feels like Rhodes has been on the scene forever, but the prolific Scot is still only 25 and coming into his best years. Having been previously been linked with a £14m move to Middlesbrough this season, he could be available for a slightly smaller fee of between £10-12m this month.

Given the success in the top flight of players like Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin, would you take a chance on Jordan Rhodes? Let us know.

Jordan Rhodes has been linked with Newcastle this evening. Would you take a chance on him? #nufc

— The Spectator’s View (@thespectoview) January 28, 2016

 

Check me out on Twitter @SportingMinute.

-Liam