According to a recent report by Corriere dello Sport, Newcastle United and West Ham are battling to sign Club Brugge centre-forward Wesley Moraes. (h/t Sport Witness)
The Brazilian, 22, ended the season at the weekend with Brugge, a 3-2 home victory over Antwerp. His 13 goals and seven assists have helped his team secure an impressive 2nd placed finish in the Jupiler Pro League this season.
The report claims Lazio are also interested in the Brugge hotshot, whose desire is to play in the Premier League next season. That itself gives Newcastle United and West Ham a boost for their pursuit of Wesley Moraes, but it’s the former that should win the race for his signature.
Newcastle are in dire need of fresh faces in the squad after avoiding relegation this season. Rafael Benitez has a big summer transfer window ahead of him and needs to make the most use of it to make his squad capable of challenging for a top-half finish next term.
The Magpies need quality players over the summer that can come in and make an impact. It’s tough to get high-quality players and at a cheap price; so it’s important Benitez invests smartly in the essential areas of his squad.
Benitez’s team desperately needs a new striker as Salomon Rondon is set to return to West Bromwich Albion when his loan spell expires later this summer. The 29-year-old centre-forward’s future is uncertain, even though he has expressed a desire to remain a Newcastle player following the conclusion of his loan spell. But as things stand, the Magpies are far off from signing Rondon permanently.
That being said, Newcastle must simply turn their attention towards signing Wesley Moraes. The 22-year-old forward has spent the last three seasons with Club Brugge in Belgium. He has improved every season with Brugge and he managed to score 14 goals in 35 appearances across all competitions this season.
Standing tall at 6 feet 3 inches, Moraes is an absolute beast of a centre-forward, noted for his physicality, strength and aerial ability. His towering frame allows him to fight defenders off the ball and maintain possession, whilst bringing his teammates into the game. The 22-year-old is different from the ‘traditional centre-forward’, as he drops deeper to receive the ball and build an attack.
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Despite having a burly frame, the Brazilian has a fantastic turn of pace and can outrun defenders, unlike Rondon. Moraes’ combination of pace, power and physicality could make him a smash hit at Tyneside. With him up front, Benitez will also get a focal point in the attack.
Making the move from Belgium to England will not be easy, but Moraes has the physical attributes and technical skills to deal with the toils of the Premier League and take Newcastle to a different level.