Newcastle United have a few important weeks ahead of them, as manager Rafa Benitez’s talks with the upper management will take shape, following which they are likely to pursue potential transfer targets. One player who has been linked with signing permanently for Newcastle is Salomon Rondon, who had an impressive spell on loan with the Magpies in the recently concluded season.
Recent reports suggested that Rondon could be available for £16.5 million, with Wolves another club interested in signing him in the summer transfer window. Newcastle seem to have a “plan B” if they do miss out on signing the Venezuelan, as the club have now been linked with Wesley Moraes.
Moraes is a 22-year-old striker who currently plays for Belgian side Club Brugge. The tall Brazilian scored 17 goals in all competitions for his club, while also registering an impressive 10 assists in the 2018-19 season, helping his team finish second in the league. The Brazilian expressed his interest of playing in the Premier League recently, which would have alerted a number of clubs in the English league:
“I do not know yet, I have a preference for the Premier League, but we’ll see what happens, I have to give it a go,” said Moraes.
He signed for the Belgian club in January 2016 and signed a new contract with them last year which expires in 2023.
Will Moraes be a good fit under Benitez?
Moraes is similar in build to Rondon, standing at 6’3″. But his huge physical presence and build belie the real speed and power that the young Brazilian possesses. He is a great header of the ball, can hold up the play with his ball retention skills, but can also spin around a defender and beat the opposition defenders with his pace. Moraes has a strong build and can brush off defenders and play up top as the sole striker for most sides.
While still a raw talent, Moraes could be a striker built for the Premier League and the kind of football that Benitez plays. Newcastle United are bereft of goal-scoring strikers, with Ayoze Perez the only player able to rack up goals consistently. But Perez’s ideal position is behind the striker and not as the player furthest forward which requires Benitez to sign a player who can lead the line.
In that regard, someone like Moraes can be the ideal signing for Rafa, especially if he fails to land Salomon Rondon.