Newcastle United have submitted loan offers for both Liverpool’s Danny Ings and Leicester City’s Islam Slimani, according to the Northern Echo.
The newspaper claim that despite lodging offers for the striker duo, a “transfer breakthrough” is still far off, due to them both having been in their club’s squads for matches on New Year’s Day.
Northern Echo report that Rafa Benitez is determined to sign a striker by the end of the January transfer window as his side have only scored 20 goals in 22 league games.
Slimani played the full game against Huddersfield Town scoring a goal in Leicester City’s 3-0 win, whereas Ings was an unused substitute for Liverpool’s game against Burnley.
Current Newcastle United strikers Dwight Gayle and Joselu are currently the joint top-scorers at the club, but have only managed three goals each.
Good move for Newcastle?
The Magpies are clearly desperate to add a striker to their squad who can score the goals needed to ensure Premier League survival this season.
Ings and Slimani are both solid options that come with Premier League experience.
It’s an excellent sign that Newcastle United are acting quickly in the January window, after missing out of many targets in the summer.
Likely to happen?
By lodging bids for two targets at the same time, the Magpies are surely destined to get one of them at least.
Ings looks the more likely to join the club given the fact it has previously been reported that Jurgen Klopp wants to loan the striker out, and he was only named on the bench against Burnley.