Newcastle United were desperate to sign a striker in the January transfer window and had placed Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen on their radar. Rafael Benitez was keen to lure him to St. James’ Park and it was reported that the Magpies placed a bid of £15million to secure his services. However, his move to the English top flight side ultimately didn’t materialise.
The Eredivisie outfit slapped a price tag of £20million on Jorgensen’s collar, which wasn’t met by Benitez’s camp. The striker has stated clearly that he is desirous to play in the Premier League in the near future and as per one of the latest reports by Daily Star, Newcastle United are set to pursue him once again during the summer transfer window.
Islam Slimani was signed on loan last month from Leicester City to beef up their attacking arsenal but a long-term solution is needed by the club. It seems that the Geordies see Jorgensen as the worthy candidate to do the same. The 27-year-old has had a decent season so far, having scored 7 goals and notched up 3 assists to his name from 16 appearances in the Dutch top division.
Moreover, he has smashed 2 goals in 4 UEFA Champions League appearances and is one of the prized assets that Feyenoord have on their books. Jorgensen is a quality striker and there is no denying that. He is physically quite strong and his commendable control of the ball enables him to hold it in the final third.
Having plied his trade for the likes of Copenhagen and Bayer Leverkusen in the past, he has garnered adequate amount of experience under his belt. His big frame gives him an edge when he is jostling for the ball in the air and has the skills to manoeuvre twists and turns to puzzle opposition defenders. Frankly speaking, he would be an upgrade over Dwight Gayle and Joselu.
The Denmark international certainly has the inclination to score goals and no wonder his stocks are highly rated. He is sharp, mobile and more often than not, he pops up in the right areas to make the most of the opportunities that come his way. Besides, he has the calibre to outfox defenders with his movements and pace.
The Toon are flirting with the relegation zone, having mustered merely 25 points from 26 games in the Premier League and are placed at the 16th spot in the league standings. If they manage to stay afloat at the end of the season, it would make a lot of sense if they sign Jorgensen.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored