Newcastle United have already identified a potential future addition for Eddie Howe’s side, according to a new report, but will have to shell out £21m to land the rising star.
Newcastle start season strongly
Despite a difficult summer transfer window for Howe and Co, it has been a strong start to the season for Newcastle, with the Magpies sitting third in the Premier League after four games.
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Behind only Manchester City (who have won 4 of 4) and Arsenal (on goal difference), the Tyneside outfit have not been at their best in the early part of the season but have still found ways to pick up three points, most recently coming from a goal behind to beat Wolves 2-1 courtesy of a late goal from Harvey Barnes.
Attention is already turning to future transfer windows though, with plenty of speculation over how they may use the funds that were ultimately unsuccessful in luring Marc Guehi to St James’ Park.
Newcastle target the 'next Erling Haaland'
Now, it has been reported that Eddie Howe’s side are keeping a close eye on Sindre Walle Egeli as they look to bolster their frontline, with the teenager having caught the eye at youth level.
A rising star among the Norweigian youth ranks, it is no surprise that he has previously been dubbed the next Erling Haaland, and their goalscoring record for the Norweigian youth sides are strikingly similar.
Record for Norway’s youth teams
Erling Haaland games (goals)
Sindre Walle Egeli games (goals)
Under 21
3 (0)
N/A
Under 20
5 (11)
N/A
Under 19
9 (10)
3 (3)
Under 18
6 (6)
9 (6)
Under 17
9 (2)
3 (2)
Under 16
17 (1)
14 (14)
Under 15
4 (4)
6 (7)
Total
53 (34)
35 (32)
Though he has scored two fewer than Haaland, those goals have come in 18 fewer appearances and predominantly from the right wing, with Egeli scoring at a faster rate than City’s star, and for FC Nordsjaelland U19 he found the net 25 times in 25 outings, with a scoring regularity of a goal every 71 minutes.
Of course, the 18-year-old remains very much in the formative years of his career, but such is his promise that his side are already holding out for a Danish record fee of £21m to part ways with him in any future transfer windows, amid interest from across the continent.
Though a move for the teen would undoubtedly be a risk, Newcastle have shown that they are keen to snap up young talent already since the takeover took place two years ago. They have signed the likes of Yankuba Minteh, Lewis Hall, Garang Kuol, William Osula, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento as they look to build a competitive side for the future as well as the present.
With the striker position a problem for the Magpies once you look past Alexander Isak, taking a risk on a potential superstar may well be deemed a risk worth taking on Tyneside.
