Next season is a massive one for Newcastle United. After a year of consolidation and an unexpected top half finish in the English Premier League, the Magpies are in a position to really strengthen and solidify their long-term future as one of the elite sides in the country.
That makes this summer’s transfer window vitally important. With the capacity for spending in doubt, it’s crucial that they shop for players that not only improve Rafa Benitez’s first team but also represent value in today’s market.
While multiple areas of the team need strengthened and depth added to them, what Benitez’s side arguably needs most is an elite striker who has a track record of scoring regularly at a decent level.
Not a single player reached double figures for goals in the league last season, with the entire team netting just 39 times. That total was lower than four of the teams that finished below them and all but one of the teams that finished above them in the table. It’s clearly something that can be improved upon next term.
One player that could be available for a transfer is Bas Dost, a player whose 2017/18 demonstrates that he could the man that Benitez needs to help Newcastle unlock their potential next season.
As reported by The Telegraph, he is one of a number of players in the process of cancelling contracts with Portuguese side Sporting after a dramatic season of clashes with the club’s fans and president.
The striker was injured in an incident last month that saw dozens of fans forcing their way into the team’s training center and assaulting players and staff.
Is he a player that Newcastle should now be moving for this summer, and what boxes does he tick for the St James’ Park side?
First of all, the headline grabber when it comes to Bas Dost is his scoring record of last season. With 27 goals in 30 league matches, he was in outrageous form, scoring 42% of the team’s total league goals all by himself. With another six goals in other competitions, his tally for the season came to an outstanding 33 goals. That was no fluke either given he also netted 37 goals in all competitions in 2016/17.
Delve further into his statistics of last season and you get an idea of how just how clinical he was. As shown by WhoScored, he averaged 2.2 shots per game in league action, a total of 66. That means he has a shot conversion rate of 41%, demonstrating that when provided with chances, the poacher will stick them away consistently.
It’s the kind of attacking contribution that could transform the Magpies next term, who don’t lack creative guile with the likes of Ayoze Perez and Jonjo Shelvey providing support from midfield.
With 30 key passes across the season and 141 aerial duels won, an average of 4.7 per game, it’s also clear he is a player that can bring others into the game around him. At 6ft 5in tall, he has the physical presence that would offer Newcastle a direct option, which could prove vital, a focal point that Benitez’s side can latch onto against difficult opposition.
The benefits clearly outweigh the negatives when it comes to this transfer and given his precarious position at Sporting, he’s a player that Newcastle need to consider over the coming months, ensuring they are the English side that convinces him his future lies in the Premier League.
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