Newcastle United interest Malaga striker Sandro Ramirez keeps making rounds. The 21-year-old sensational has been Magpies long-term target for top Premier League sides while also receiving interest from Spanish sides for his signature. Recently, The Independent claimed that newly promoted Newcastle United had also registered interest for the Spaniard amid reports that they are close to sealing his signature.
The Championship champions are in the market to boost their striking options in the summer after having made it back to the Premier League, as they were crowned Champions of the league.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has devoted much interest playing the likes of Dwight Gayle, Daryl Murphy, and Aleksandar, but believes that he needs to add more quality to help his side put up a strong performance upon their return to the top division. Gayle may have been Newcastle’s top scorer in his debut season, but his past struggles in the league with Crystal Palace are still unforgotten, whereas Murphy and Mitrovic cannot fully be relied on to lead the attack week in week out in the Premier League.
Hence, signing a new striker becomes their top priority in the summer. Rafael Benitez seems more to have his scouting attention to his homeland and has identified Sandro as a possible solution.
The former Barcelona academy graduate has been in superb form for the Andalusians this season, having moved from Barcelona last season. In his first season for Malaga, the Spaniard finished the season with a total of 16 goals from 31 games across all competitions and has also registered 5 assists.
Despite in his 20’s, Sandro has proved to be a formidable striker. He has the pace upfront to run in behind defenders and has also shown that he has the confidence to take on his man. In his 30 La Liga appearances for Malaga this season, Sandro has attempted a total 51 take-ons and has been successful on 24 occasions, showing that he backs himself to get past his man with the ball at his feet.
Much like most players who come through the famed La Masia academy of Barca, Sandro is also a fine passer of the ball and has the ability to play his teammates through on goala from dangerous positions. That being said, Sandro has the physicality needed to hold on to the ball and bring his teammates into the game, thus making him an all-round forward. His prowess from set-pieces and long-range shots is also an asset.
Sandro Ramirez is tied to a three-year contract with the Spanish side, but he will be available for move on the cheap as a report from Spanish publication Sport claimed that there is a £5million release clause in his contract. He has no experience outside La Liga and there are good chances that he might find life difficult to in the Premier League. However, at a fee of just £5 million, if he manages to produce the form that he has shown, he can turn out to be a great addition for Newcastle, making him a risk worth taking for the Tyneside outfit.