Newcastle United look set for a big summer in the transfer market.
The Magpies are just one win away from Champions League qualification and could seal the deal on Monday night in front of home support against Leicester.
As a result, a raft of big name signings can surely be expected to arrive over the course of the summer.
Already, names are being linked with a move to St James’ Park.
One of those is Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby.
What scouts are saying about Moussa Diaby
Previously described as Eddie Howe’s “dream signing”, the forward is also said to be of interest to both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
The French international has long been tipped with a £60m move to Newcastle pretty much since the takeover.
Now, some interesting insight has emerged in regards to how scouts around the game view Diaby.
Indeed, The Athletic claim scouts view Diaby as something like an Allan Saint-Maximin-type talent. The 23-year-old is seen as more of a “wildcard” maverick able to affect games in big moments rather than perhaps a more rounded attacker in form of Serge Gnabry or Bukayo Saka.
That sounds exciting – but perhaps not what Newcastle need right now
While Newcastle fans have been treated to quite a few mavericks over the years, it’s perhaps not what they need right now.
Saint-Maximin is no longer a regular starter under Howe himself and though Diaby clearly isn’t exactly the same kind of profile, it does say something about the players the Magpies coach prefers.
With European football on the calendar, Newcastle need a bigger squad to strive for consistency across a number of competitions. With that in mind, it’s difficult to see them taking another risk on a maverick when Saint-Maximin is hardly getting a regular look in as it is.
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