A top striker may well be on Eddie Howe's shopping list in the summer transfer window as Newcastle United look to make a leap forward in their ambitious plans to compete in the upper echelons of the Premier League, following their takeover by the Saudi Arabian PIF fund. According to Peterborough United chairman, Daragh MacAnthony, 'if they have any sense' they should be looking to re-sign a striker they previously owned.
Ivan Toney was a Newcastle player between 2015/16 and 2018/19 but he made only four competitive appearances for the club and scored no goals as he spent the majority of his time out on loan. He then found prolific form in League One with Peterborough before moving to Brentford and scoring 31 goals in their promotion winning season. He subsequently has 11 Premier League goals for the Bees this season, with MacAnthony asserting that he would 'score 25 goals in a top team'.
"Ivan Toney playing in a top ten team creating lots of chances would score 25 league goals, all day long. I think lots of teams are missing a beat there if he isn’t sold for mega dough in the summer. That’s not just because I have a cut on it, I just honestly think if you’re looking at young strikers out there [he’s one of the best]."
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The Peterborough chairman went on to say that Toney would be one of the most in demand forwards in Europe and that Newcastle should be making him their top target. According to the man that signed Toney from Newcastle, only Erling Halaand and Kylian Mbappe would be more in demand:
"In the summer there will be two strikers to watch [outside of Halaand and Mbappe] and that’s Toney and Tammy Abraham. If Newcastle had any sense, they would be signing him [Toney] and bringing him back. The Geordies would absolutely worship the ground he walks on. He would score 20 goals in a Newcastle team with better players."
It is worth noting that whilst Toney has 11 Premier League goals this season, five of those have come from the penalty spot.
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