Newcastle United are ready to battle it out with Premier League rivals West Ham United for the services of Alassane Plea. Following a productive season, the OGC Nice striker has attracted a lot of interest this summer with both Newcastle and West Ham vying for his services.
Newcastle, in particular, have been keen to secure the services of a top-class attacker this summer as Rafael Benitez looks to replicate his side’s impressive performance of last campaign. However, the Magpies will likely have to break the club’s transfer record as the striker is valued at £27m and with other suitors in sight, it is unlikely to come down anytime soon.
Plea, 25, enjoyed the best season of his career last term as he netted 16 goals in the league. Since joining OGC Nice in the summer of 2014, the Frenchman has emerged as a key component for the Ligue 1 giants, having featured in over 135 matches all competitions.
Although a tally of just 44 goals since 2014 might seem a rather disappointing figure, it’s probably fair to point out that 35 of them have been scored in the last couple of seasons, which refers to the incredible growth Plea has had in recent times.
Newcastle, on the other hand, have performed exceptionally well last season as they finished tenth in the final league standings. However, that being said, the lack of potency in the attacking department could be a cause for concern in the coming months.
None of their current set of forwards in Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dwight Gayle and Joselu have quite been able to become consistent goalscorers in the English top flight and therefore, the addition of a top-class forward is imperative if Newcastle are to replicate their form next season.
Alassane Plea, in that case, could be an exciting signing for the Magpies. The 25-year-old, as mentioned earlier, has shown immense potential in the past couple of seasons which has been vindicated with his exceptional scoring tally. Additionally, he also packs more promise than two of Newcastle’s other attacking targets in Salomon Rondon and Nicolai Jorgensen.
Hence, it remains to be seen whether or not Newcastle will match Nice’s transfer valuation for Alassane Plea this summer as they look to further re-establish themselves in the top flight. The Frenchman is more than capable of making a difference in the English top flight and will undoubtedly be an exciting addition for the Magpies next season.
