Newcastle United have been linked with signing Sekou Mara, but he is not on his way to St James’ Park.
The teenager is going to be playing in the Premier League next season, but he will wear red and white instead of black and white.
That’s because the forward is on the brink of joining Southampton. Bordeaux have confirmed that they have agreed a deal in principle with the Saints, and Mara will now undergo a medical.
He will reportedly cost £11million including add-ons, which means he was within Newcastle’s price range. However, it doesn’t look like the Magpies were fully convinced.
Newcastle unconvinced by Sekou Mara’s potential compared to Hugo Ekitike
According to the Athletic, Newcastle have been looking at Mara as a possible Hugo Ekitike alternative. However, they add that the Magpies aren’t sure if he has as high a ceiling as Ekitike.
Eddie Howe and co have since missed out, with Mara set to sign on the dotted line at St Mary’s. It will now be very interesting to see how he performs on the south coast.
When you compare Mara to Ekitike, the latter was more prolific last season. In a struggling Bordeaux side that was eventually relegated, Mara scored six goals in 26 appearances. In contrast, Ekitike scored 10 times in 23 Ligue 1 outings.
The man Newcastle wanted to sign scored more goals in fewer games, and also had bigger clubs chasing his signature. In the end, he’s gone to PSG to play alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
As for Mara, he will be teammates with Adam Armstrong and Che Adams. When you look at it like that, it’s clear that Ekitike is the brighter talent.
However, that’s not to say Mara won’t be a success at Southampton. If he does shine for the Saints, Newcastle will likely regret the missed opportunity.
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