Why Newcastle should reignite interest in Myron Boadu
Back in February, a report from the Shields Gazette had mentioned Newcastle United among a host of Premier League clubs to be interested in a move for Dutch starlet Myron Boadu. However, the Magpies eventually turned their attention to other targets in the summer, with Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser coming through the door at St. James’ Park among others.
Profile
Born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to parents of Ghanaian descent, Myron Boadu rose through the youth ranks of AZ Alkmaar and initially impressed for the club’s reserve side before making his first-team debut in the Eredivisie during the 2017-18 campaign.
Despite a series of knee and ankle injuries stalling his progress, Boadu enjoyed a breakthrough in the top-flight during the 2018-19 season, scoring 3 times in 8 league appearances. That was before the 19-year-old really came of age to establish himself as an undisputed starter for Alkmaar last term, plundering an astonishing tally of 20 goals and 13 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.
Boadu has continued to fire on all cylinders in 2020-21 as well, starting the campaign on a positive note with 2 goals in 3 league outings for Alkmaar. The teenager represented the Netherlands across youth levels between U-15 and U-21 before enjoying a goalscoring senior international debut in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Estonia last year.
Boadu would be a good long-term signing for the Magpies
Newcastle desperately needed to address their problems relating to lack of quality and firepower in the final third this summer after scoring only 38 goals in the Premier League last season. In response, the Magpies roped in Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson before the deadline to bolster their attack, with the latter making an immediate impact for Steve Bruce’s side.
The biggest positive for Newcastle has perhaps been the consistency of Allan Saint-Maximin, who has been a real livewire for the Toon Army down the flanks. The Frenchman recently committed his long-term future to the club with a new six-year deal, meaning that Bruce can now think about building a team around him for several years to come.
Despite Wilson’s arrival adding a lot of end product to Newcastle’s attack, it is worth mentioning that the Magpies still have a few issues to sort out when it comes to their options in front of goal. Andy Carroll has yet to score a league goal since returning to Tyneside while big-money flop Joelinton has only found the net twice since the start of the 2019-20 season.
With Dwight Gayle currently nursing a long-term injury and Yoshinori Muto deemed surplus to requirements, the door remains open for Newcastle to dive into the winter market for another top-quality striker to work in tandem with Wilson.
To that end, Newcastle making a renewed attempt to sign Myron Boadu could pay off handsomely for their long-term plans moving forward. Widely regarded as one of the hottest rising talents in the Netherlands, the 19-year-old has already outgrown his humble surroundings in the Eredivisie and looks ready to make the step up to a more competitive league.
Essentially a centre-forward by trade, Boadu is also capable of playing out wide on either flank. Besides his obvious pedigree as a goalscorer, the teenager’s versatility could be another key asset to Bruce’s squad dynamics.
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Verdict
Myron Boadu might not be the finished article just yet but there are certainly no doubts over his talent and potential. It’s very rare to see 19-year-old strikers racking up 20 goals in a season and while the Eredivisie is not as competitive as the Premier League, Boadu’s credentials can hardly be called into question.
That he has already made his mark for the Netherlands at the senior international level despite his tender years clearly indicates he is destined to achieve great things in his career. Suffice to say, Newcastle would have an absolute gem on their hands if they manage to get a deal over the line for the Dutch sensation in January.
