Newcastle United are looking for a winger that can take them to the next level, and one of their targets proved he can do exactly that on Thursday night.
The Magpies are looking to make a right winger their marquee signing this summer, and have some exciting options on their shortlist.
Michael Olise is on there, and Newcastle have initiated contact with Crystal Palace about signing the 22-year-old. However, that deal will be tough, with Chelsea currently seen as the favourites.
Also from the Premier League, Newcastle have their eye on Jarrod Bowen. He is a player who has nearly joined the Magpies before, and is once again on their radar. The West Ham star is currently with England at Euro 2024, but was unable to inspire the Three Lions during a cameo off the bench against Denmark on Thursday.
But while one Newcastle target failed to light up the Euros on Thursday, another produced a breathtaking performance.
Newcastle interested in Nico Williams
Spain qualified for the knockout stage of the competition on Thursday, beating Italy 1-0 thanks to an own goal from Riccardo Calafiori.
But that goal was made possible by Nico Williams, who The Athletic believe has featured prominently during Newcastle’s recruitment meetings.
The Athletic Bilbao forward is not a new target for the Magpies, and Toon officials actually considered signing him before they bought Anthony Gordon for £40million in January 2023.
Now Newcastle are considering whether or not they can get Williams and Gordon in the same team, and the Spaniard proved on Thursday night why he is exactly what Eddie Howe is looking for.
Nico Williams dazzles as Spain beat Italy at Euro 2024
Spain played really well against Italy, producing the type of performance that could make them contenders to go the distance at Euro 2024. There was even a cameo from former Newcastle United forward Ayoze Perez, who played brilliantly off the bench.
But the star of the show was Nico Williams, who was deployed on the left of a front three that also included Alvaro Morata and Lamine Yamal.
Williams was a constant threat, with his dribbling ability causing countless problems for Italy defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo. The 21-year-old would go left and then he would go right, chopping and changing direction with skill and precision.
He was scintillating to watch, and almost capped off his night with an incredible goal. Sadly, his effort from distance crashed off the bar.
The win means that Spain are into the round of 16, and they owe a lot of that to Williams, who was given the player of the match award for his performance.
Why Newcastle will struggle to sign Spanish sensation
Williams was outstanding, and proved exactly why he would be perfect in a black and white shirt. Having him alongside Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak would give Newcastle so much speed and fluidity in attack.
He played on the left on Thursday night, but can also operate down the right. He has similar qualities to Gordon, who is also just as comfortable on the right as he is on the left. Having those two wingers would give Howe real flexibility, and it would also allow him to rotate his forward line mid-game without having to make a substitution.
But while Williams showed on Thursday why he would be a perfect addition to the Newcastle squad, there are a couple of major reasons why he is unlikely to end up at St James’ Park.
One of them is not his price tag, with the Athletic reporting that he has a release clause worth £47million. That is a fee that Newcastle can afford, but it is wages that might be a problem.
It has been reported that Williams is looking to earn more than £250,000-a-week if he leaves Athletic Bilbao, which is a lot more than what Newcastle United’s best paid player earns.
On top of that, Geordie Boot Boys have been told that Williams is eager to sign for Barcelona, despite interest from the Premier League.
That is such a shame, as Williams in this Newcastle United team would be absolutely perfect.
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