Paul Merson has said that he is "flabbergasted" over Newcastle United's decision to allow Chris Wood to leave the club during the January transfer window.
Nottingham Forest confirmed the loan signing of Wood from Newcastle on Friday afternoon for the remainder of the season with an obligation to buy the striker for a reported fee of £15million. Wood played a vital role in the Magpies' relegation battle last season when he signed for the club from Burnley for £25m last January.
Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak both find themselves ahead of Wood in the pecking order as the centre forward goes in search of more minutes at the City Ground with Steve Cooper's side. The newly promoted side would have been thrilled to get the deal over the line as they look set to be without £17m forward Taiwo Awoniyi for seven or eight weeks, after he picked up a groin injury.
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Howe has revealed that the club are planning on replacing Wood after he admitted that the striker's departure leaves them "dangerously short". And now Merson has said that he cannot understand why the club did not bring in a new signing before sanctioning the 31-year-old's exit.
“Flabbergasted. Honestly, flabbergasted,” Merson told Sky Sports. “I like Wilson and Isak. But one’s been out a long time injured [and] the other one, you don’t seem to get a run of games – Wilson – where he’s fit consistently.
“Wood comes in and does the job. He comes across as a good pro. Not just that, he’s at the other end, as well, when he’s defending. When they’re keeping clean sheets, it’s not luck – they defend corners very well. He comes back, he clears stuff.
“For what they’re selling him for, I cannot believe it. It wouldn’t surprise me in three weeks’ time if the two centre-forwards were injured and they haven’t got a forward to put on upfront. If you’re Newcastle, you do the business first and then you get rid of Wood.”
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