WOLTEMADE, 23, SCORED 17 GOALS FOR THE GERMAN SIDE LAST SEASON AND IS CONSIDERED TO CARRY A DECEPTIVE DEPTH OF SKILL, BELYING HIS 6 FOOT 6 FRAME.
A THRILLING ADDITION, ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED YOUNG NINES OUT THERE, BUT WOLTEMADE’S SIGNING DOES COME WITH THE CAVEAT THAT HE IS VIEWED AS ALEXANDER ISAK’S REPLACEMENT AT THE FRONT OF HOWE’S SYSTEM. ISAK REMAINS A NEWCASTLE PLAYER WITH T-MINUS 24 HOURS REMAINING OF THE MARKET, BUT HIS INCENDIARY COMMENTS EARLIER THIS MONTH AND FIERCE DESIRE TO LEAVE ST. JAMES’ PARK AND SIGN FOR LIVERPOOL HAVE SCOURED ALL BUT THE SLIMMEST HOPES OF A HARMONIOUS AND CONTINUING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PLAYER AND CLUB. NEWCASTLE HAVE ONLY CLAIMED TWO POINTS FROM THEIR OPENING THREE FIXTURES OF THE CAMPAIGN, BUT THE QUALITY COURSING THROUGH HOWE’S SQUAD REMAINS INTACT, AND THE WINS ARE SURE TO BE AROUND THE CORNER.
HOWEVER, IT WOULDN’T HURT TO ADD ANOTHER PLAYER TO THE RANKS BEFORE THE MARKET SLAMS SHUT ON MONDAY EVENING, AND THERE’S A FEELING FROM SOME CIRCLES THAT PIF ARE GEARING UP TO STRIKE A DEAL FOR ONE OF THE WORLD’S FINEST MIDFIELDERS. NEWCASTLE ADDED JACOB RAMSEY TO THEIR RANKS IN A PACKAGE RISING TO £40M THIS MONTH, BUT HE WAS WITHDRAWN WITH AN ISSUE AGAINST LEEDS UNITED, AND INJURIES TO SANDRO TONALI AND JOELINTON AGAINST LIVERPOOL HAVE HEIGHTENED THE NEED FOR A DEEPER-LYING MIDFIELDER.
AND ACCORDING TO SPANISH REPORTS, AN AMBITIOUS MOVE FOR EDUARDO CAMAVINGA HAS BEEN PREPARED, THOUGH IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO LAND THE REAL MADRID STAR, WITH THE LA LIGA GIANTS ISSUING A FIRM NOT-FOR-SALE RESPONSE TO INTRIGUE.
REPORTS FROM EARLIER THIS WEEK OUTLINE THE MAGPIES’ INTEREST IN THE FRANCE INTERNATIONAL, WHO HAS BEEN VALUED AT €70M (EQUATING TO AROUND £61M) AT THIS LATE STAGE OF THE WINDOW. TONALI’S INJURY HEIGHTENS THE NEED FOR SUCH A PLAYER, BUT CAMAVINGA COULD EVEN PROVE TO BE AN UPGRADE ON THE ITALIAN MAESTRO, STATISTICALLY COMPARABLE TO PREMIER LEAGUE HEAVYWEIGHTS LIKE RYAN GRAVENBERCH AND MOISES CAICEDO.
HAVING BOUNCED BACK FROM A LENGTHY SUSPENSION LAST TERM, 25-YEAR-OLD TONALI BECAME A MAINSTAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK FOR THE MAGPIES, INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING TOP FORM THROUGHOUT THE WINTER AND WINNING SILVERWARE THEREAFTER.
BUT CAMAVINGA MIGHT ADD EVEN MORE TO THE ST. JAMES’ PARK CENTRE.
INJURIES HAD A PROHIBITIVE EFFECT ON CAMAVINGA’S FORM AND FLUENCY IN LA LIGA LAST SEASON, BUT FROM THE MATCHES HE DID PLAY, HE STOOD OUT. INDEED, HIS DYNAMISM AND RANGE SUGGEST HE MIGHT EVEN PROVE AN UPGRADE ON NEWCASTLE’S STAR.
