Newcastle turn back audacious bid from Brighton
By Matt English
With Brighton desperate to add a goal scorer to their ranks, the club has targeted a fiery prospect at Newcastle
Brighton have had a tough time in the Premier League since their promotion. They have scored just 17 goals the whole year, putting them just two goals ahead of the worst attack in the league. Brighton are in need of an attacker and, with just a few days left in the January transfer window, need to make a move quickly.
Newcastle have been the recent target of Brighton’s striker search. The Magpies have received an offer for Aleksandar Mitrovic, but are unwilling to sell the blossoming Serbian for cheap. The Chronicle have said Newcastle will not sell the striker for less than £20 million, which is fair, as they paid £13 million to bring him to the club in the first place.
Mitrovic has been out since around mid December with a back injury, playing his last game against Leicester on December 9th. He made just six substitute appearances in the beginning of the season, scoring once against West Ham in the first month of the season.
Being just 23 years old and fully capable of handling the rough and tumble of the Premier League, Newcastle would be missing out on a quality player if they sold Mitrovic. Despite his short fuse and rash challenges from time to time, Mitrovic has proven he can physically make it in the first division of English football. The goals will come in time, and with Newcastle scoring just 22 this season, the club should do all they can to keep him.
Brighton, on the other hand, will be getting a fantastic deal if they can meet the £20 million asking price. The club is on a bit of a downward trend and sits just one point above the drop zone, so bringing Mitrovic into the equation seems to be just what the club needs. Mitrovic works well both paired with another striker or alone up top, so Brighton would be gaining a valuable forward asset that could really change their game plan.
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Newcastle need to really think this transfer through before making a decision. The January sale of a player as vital as Mitrovic can be to a club so close to the relegation zone could come back to bite them pretty quickly. Waiting until the end of the season could mean a drop in price, but could also be the difference between Newcastle playing in the Premier League or the Championship next year. For Brighton, they should be pursuing other options along with Mitrovic, as this deal could be one that goes down to the wire.