The summer window has not even slammed shut yet, but the planning for the future is already in full swing at St James' Park. Newcastle United, a club...
The summer window has not even slammed shut yet, but the planning for the future is already in full swing at St James' Park. Newcastle United, a club that has spent the last eighteen months recalibrating its ambitions under the new regime, are now turning their attention to the flanks. According to information gathered by GoalZaza, the Magpies are running the rule over two intriguing young wide players as they look to inject more pace and invention into their forward line.The first name on the list is Said El Mala, the Cologne winger who has been turning heads in the Bundesliga with his direct running and willingness to take on his man. He is not a finished product by any stretch, but there is a rawness to his game that Eddie Howe has historically been able to polish. The second is Matias Fernandez. Pardo, a Lille forward who has caught the eye of several European scouts. Newcastle have already made contact over the Frenchman, but they are not alone in the race.Liverpool, as is so often the case when a bright young talent emerges, are hovering in the background. The Reds have a well known appetite for wide attackers who can operate in transitional phases and stretch a low block. That is exactly what both El Mala and Fernandez. Pardo offer. For Newcastle, who are trying to break into the Champions League conversation on a consistent basis, failing to land a primary target because of Anfield's gravitational pull would sting. They have the financial muscle, but does the project tip the scalesWhat is clear is that Howe wants tactical flexibility out wide. He has relied heavily on Miguel Almirón and Anthony Gordon, but depth remains a concern when the fixtures pile up. Signing a player who can beat a man on the outside and deliver with consistency could be the difference between a top four charge and another season of "what if". The race is on, and it is only going to get hotter before the next window opens.For now, Newcastle fans will watch this space with a mix of hope and anxiety. Liverpool do not often lose a transfer battle they truly want to win. But then again, the Premier League's old order is not quite what it used to be.
