Newcastle United are reportedly tracking Sturm Graz youngster Rasmus Hojlund, as Eddie Howe looks to sign a new striker.
That’s according to the Athletic, who report that the 19-year-old is on the Magpies’ radar this summer. However, they add that it is unknown whether or not Newcastle will make a move.
Hojlund is a fresh name in our pursuit of a striker, which is proving to be very difficult.
Newcastle’s striker search
Howe wants someone who can come in as backup for Callum Wilson, and that’s not an easy sell. We’re effectively asking someone to come and sit on the bench on the off chance that our number nine gets injured.
Plenty of names have been linked, from Dominic Calvert-Lewin to Armando Broja. But so far no one has arrived. The only forward that came close to moving to Tyneside was Hugo Ekitike. And the less said about that the better…
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We do have Chris Wood in reserve, but he has struggled for goals since moving to St James’ Park. He did perform well last season, but there would be real worry among fans if he was our only striker due to another long term Wilson injury.
The Magpies need to bring in someone who can play up front. Dan Ashworth will be looking at options all over the globe, and that brings us back to Hojlund.
Hojlund starts the season in form
If Newcastle do decide to make a move for Hojlund, they will be bidding for someone who is in a rich vein of form. The new season is only young, but the Danish teenager has already scored five goals.
That includes one in the Champions League, where he featured on Tuesday night. He was part of the Sturm Graz side that faced Dynamo Kyiv in a European qualifier.
Hojlund scored to take the game to extra time, but Kyiv’s quality eventually took them through to the next round.
Whether Sturm Graz’s Champions League exit means they need to sell Hojlund to raise cash remains to be seen. He hasn’t been there long, only joining the Austrian side in January from Copenhagen.
But he is reportedly being tracked by Newcastle. While a move might not come this summer, he is a name worth remembering for the future.