Newcastle United are considering a January bid for exciting Belgian winger Johan Bakayoko, according to reports.
The Magpies have been on the lookout for reinforcements in wide positions for some time now, especially with Miguel Almiron likely to leave the club soon.
Anthony Gordon is an unquestioned starter for Newcastle, while Eddie Howe also has Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy at his disposal.
But if Almiron were to leave, that would leave Howe’s side extremely vulnerable should they be hit by injuries.
The summer transfer window was incredibly frustrating for Newcastle, who missed out on multiple key targets; most notably Crystal P3alace and England centre-back Marc Guehi.
Newcastle United make Johan Bakayoko their top January target
Newcastle will be hoping for a much more productive January window and according to TBR, that could involve a move for Bakayoko — who has completed 3.29 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Eredivisie this season, compared to 1.38 in the Premier League by Gordon.
Bakayoko has caught the eye over the last couple of years with PSV Eindhoven, notching 19 goals and 16 assists in 64 appearances across all competitions since the start of last season.
The 21-year-old’s form has been key to helping PSV lift the Eredivisie title last season, as well as two Johan Cruyff Shields, while it also earned him a place in Belgium’s Euro 2024 squad.
According to TBR, Bakayoko is top of an extensive shortlist of wingers that also includes Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and former Man Utd youngster Anthony Elanga, who is now excelling for Nottingham Forest.
It’s understood Brentford made a failed bid for Bakayoko last summer, while Arsenal and Liverpool have been tracking his situation for a long time now.
Newcastle are currently eighth in the Premier League but trail third-place Chelsea by just a single point ahead of their clash at home to West Ham United on Monday evening.
