Newcastle United are interested in signing Joao Pedro and Anthony Elanga this summer.
It could be a busy summer for Newcastle United, who are open for business again.
Newcastle could spend £150million this summer, and they have targeted both Pedro and Elanga as potential signings.
Indeed, Newcastle have enquired about Elanga after failing to sign him last summer.
Pedro is also a Newcastle target, although Geordie Boot Boys understands Brighton could demand as much as £70million for the Brazilian.
Still, while signing them both won’t be easy, the thought of having them in a frontline also containing Alexander Isak is seriously exciting.
With that in mind, here’s a look at three ways Newcastle United could line up with Pedro and Elanga.
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The £183m Newcastle United frontline including Joao Pedro and Anthony Elanga
The £63million Newcastle paid for Isak is a club transfer record but, were they to pay the £70million for Pedro and Elanga’s £50million price tag, it’d mean the trio cost £183million in total.
Pedro is able to operate on the left wing, which would allow Isak to continue through the middle. Elanga is generally a right winger, though has previously played on the left before too.
Obviously, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy would all have something to say on the matter but deploying the trio as the attacking line in a 4-3-3 looks exciting.
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Pedro is able to operate in a deeper role, too.
While Eddie Howe has generally deployed a 4-3-3 system during his time at Newcastle, the arrival of a player of Pedro’s profile would give him another way of playing.
Should Newcastle struggle against a low block, deploying Pedro as a No.10 in behind Isak with Elanga on the right and either Barnes or Gordon on the opposite side looks a potential solution.
Adding yet another talented attacker into the mix in games in which Newcastle are likely going to dominate the ball would hardly be a bad thing.
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The 4-4-2 system may have largely gone out of fashion, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be useful in certain games.
Playing Pedro and Isak up front as a strike partnership with Elanga and one of Barnes or Gordon as classic wingers would add another string to Newcastle’s bow.
Even if it’s something of a last resort or a system they only turn to at certain points in games, the potential new signings would allow Howe much more in the way of tactical versatility.
Signing Pedro and Elanga would take the strain off Isak, while building a frontline in which the Swede could further flourish.
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