Newcastle United are monitoring Serhou Guirassy’s situation at Borussia Dortmund after missing out on a £17million bargain last summer.
Back then it was Dortmund who activated the £17m release clause in his Stuttgart contract. Newcastle scouted the player during his days at Amiens, Rennes, and Stuttgart, but he now has a price tag of around £38m.
Now 29, Guirassy’s form has been sparkling this season, with 24 goals to his name in all competitions, including 10 in the Champions League. After helping dump Lille out of the Champions League to set up a last quarter-final tie with Barcelona, all eyes are on Dortmund’s trading next summer.
Should they be knocked out of the Champions League, they are, remarkably, in danger of missing out on European football next season completely. Currently in 10th place they may find it difficult to scrape into the Europa Conference League unless they can pull off a Champions League win.
Failure to get into Europe would place a question mark over stars like Guirassy. Transfers are very much a moveable feast for Newcastle next summer too.
Having the lure of the Champions League would be a key asset for Howe and sporting director Paul Mitchell. Another big factor will be Newcastle’s decision on Callum Wilson and whether to extend his current contract.
When asked if there was a chance Wilson’s contract will get renewed, Howe said: “Yeah, absolutely there is. I can’t write the future. I can’t predict what’s going to happen. I’d never write Callum Wilson off.” CEO Darren Eales said that Newcastle could look to move players on who aren’t impacting first-team minutes in his latest round of interviews with local reporters.
Speaking about his form Guirassy said: “I have had two crazy seasons, but I’ve not changed anything. I’m not working more, I’m not sleeping more, I’m not doing more video analysis. It’s just a question of confidence.
“And I have understood that at the highest level, talent isn’t enough. You have to push through the pain barrier in challenges, in the effort you put in, in making high-intensity runs again and again, more quickly and more frequently than your opponents. Perhaps that is where the change has come from.”
The striker had hit 43 goals in two seasons at Stuttgart and 114 goals to his name to date.
Hundreds of fans from all over the globe have been leaving personalised messages for Eddie Howe and his players ahead of the Carabao Cup final. You can send your own message of support here through our Cheer Map
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-monitor-intriguing-bundesliga-31191855
