Rafa Benitez has once again worked his magic, this time at St James’ Park as he has now helped Newcastle United into the top half of the table, after a less than impressive start to the season. But the manager is already planning for the future and is looking at some exciting stars to improve the first team next season.
The striker’s role is vacant in the first team and the Magpies are expected to spend big on a star player to lead the attack in the upcoming campaign and one name still doing the rounds is Bas Dost.
Dost Open To Leaving Sporting:
A transfer target for Rafa even before the start of the season, Bas Dost moved to Portugal in 2016 and has been in terrific form ever since, scoring at a rate of more than a goal per game in the domestic league. However, reports now claim that he is ready to look elsewhere for new challenges and that he is open to a move to England this summer.
Newcastle United have been linked with a move for the 28-year old earlier too and Rafa is keen on his signature. But is the right man for the Magpies?
Bas Dost And His Style Of Play:
Having managed 31 goals and five assists in 41 appearances in all competitions this season, Dost is best described as a target man with a keen eye for goal. Strong and dominating in the air, he is devastating in front of goal and can not only hurt opponents with his hold up play but can also beat defenders in the air to test the goalkeeper.
He is also really good with his flicks and short passes and is a live wire in the final third, who is hard to mark. He has a good balance of strength and athleticism, that allows him to get the better of defenders and though he has to work on lasting the 90 minutes in a game, he is more than capable of winning games for his side consistently.
He was the top scorer in the Primeira Liga in Portugal last season and is not too far away from the accolade this season. He can walk into most of the mid-table clubs in England and is a superb fit for the Magpies.
Should Rafa Go All In?
The Spaniard has used Joselu as the target man and Dwight Gayle as the runner when needed but Dost adds a different dimension to the Newcastle United attack and can walk into the first team, leading the line for the side next season.
The Magpies have Aleksandar Mitrovic returning from a loan spell at the end of the season but Dost is a more established and proven goal scorer and will surely trouble even the best of the backlines in the league.
His contract runs down in 2020 so he will not be too cheap but reports claim that his agent is in talks with Sporting over a possible move this summer so do you think Newcastle United should be all over Dost this summer?