Newcastle United Opinion: Beating Southampton to sign Yannick Bolasie would be a gamble worth taking for the Magpies
According to The Sun, Everton winger Yannick Bolasie has been linked with Premier League clubs Newcastle United and Southampton ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 29-year-old DR Congo international was deemed surplus to requirements at Goodison Park last summer by new manager Marco Silva and was subsequently spent time on loan at Aston Villa and Belgian side Anderlecht this past season.
Bolasie delivered 2 goals and 4 assists from 9 starts for Villa in the Championship before terminating his loan spell to move to Belgium where he scored 4 goals in 7 league games.
The 29-year-old might not have a future at Everton but his red-hot form on loan spells elsewhere has ensured that there would be no shortage of suitors for the seasoned campaigner this summer, with the Toffees desperate to get him off their books.
The Sun understands Bolasie’s former club Crystal Palace are also keen on securing his services on a season-long loan deal, while Turkish giants Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, as well as Ligue 1 high-flyers Lille, have been credited with an interest.
Bolasie played for lower league clubs Plymouth Argyle and Bristol City before making his mark in the Premier League with Crystal Palace. The jet-heeled winger went on to establish himself as an influential presence at Selhurst Park and spent 4 seasons in south London, accumulating 13 goals and 30 assists from 144 appearances for the Eagles in all competitions.
The Congolese international completed a £25 million move to Everton in the summer of 2016 but he hasn’t quite been able to produce the same returns, with injuries playing a major role in his downfall. The Sun claims that the Toffees are now willing to cut their losses on him and they would consider bids of around £7 million for the winger in the summer transfer window.
To put things into perspective, Bolasie has been a bit inconsistent over the years but he can be really devastating when he is at his best. Still only 29, he has time on his side to put his lacklustre spell at Everton behind him and restart his career elsewhere.
Bolasie would be an ideal signing for both Newcastle and Southampton given that both the Premier League clubs need to invest in their wide options this summer but the Magpies should look to try and win the race for the hugely-experienced attacker.
Newcastle are yet to make a call un the future of their charismatic manager Rafael Benitez, with the Spaniard making it crystal clear that he would only sign a new deal if he is backed financially in the transfer window.
Bolasie, 29, doesn’t exactly fit the profile of players that the Magpies usually like to target in the transfer market but given that he would be available for a knock-down price, it probably won’t be a bad idea for Newcastle to offer him an escape route if that is what the manager wants.
While the futures of strikers Salomon Rondon and Ayoze, as well as central midfielders Isaac Hayden and Mo Diame, are still very much up in the air, Newcastle also need to invest heavily in their wide options.
Robert Kenedy is set to return to his parent club Chelsea after a disappointing loan spell, while Jacob Murphy has hardly made a positive impact on loan at West Brom in the Championship.
Christian Atsu has enjoyed some regular playtime in the north-east but the Ghanaian hasn’t delivered the goods often enough, which should prompt the Magpies to look for reinforcements.
Yannick Bolasie is no world-beater but he has shown in the past how destructive he can be with his pace and power down the flanks. He has evolved into a useful Premier League player over the years and is more than capable of turning games around with his ability to chip in with valuable goals and assists.
Ambidexterity is one of his key traits, which allow him to play on either side of the pitch, dribble at pace and score goals with both feet.
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His level of consistency over the years has been called into question, but given that he would be available on a cut-price deal, it could be a gamble worth taking for a team like Newcastle.
