Newcastle United began the season in cold and hot kind, however hit an actual inexperienced patch over the festive interval, successful ten matches in a row in all competitions, main them into the Champions League locations within the Premier League desk and the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.
Nonetheless, as a result of final weekend’s 4-1 loss to Bournemouth, their first loss since November, Eddie Howe’s facet have dropped to sixth place, joint on factors with fifth place Manchester Metropolis, and two factors behind fourth place Chelsea.
With the Toon seeking to return to the Champions League subsequent season, an emphasis might be placed on maintaining their greatest gamers on the membership this January, while additionally seeking to strengthen if potential, because the second half of the season appears to be like more likely to decide the way forward for Alexander Isak.
Newcaste weigh up transfer for big-money striker
In keeping with reports from The Chronicle, Newcastle are ‘weighing up a bid’ to signal RB Leipzig ahead, Benjamin Sesko. It follows experiences from Germany that recommend any suitor must pay a seismic charge and for the Magpies, it will take a membership document switch charge of round £67m.
The Slovenian striker can be on the radar of loads of prime European golf equipment, with Arsenal one name said to be keen to strike a deal this month for Sesko.
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The 21-year-old was of curiosity to Newcastle in 2023, earlier than he made the transfer from RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig, however since making that swap to the Bundesliga and additional proving his high quality, it has turn into much more unlikely for groups to get him out of Germany for any lower than his €80m (£67m) launch clause.
Sesko has made 25 appearances in all competitions for the German outfit this season, scoring 13 objectives and offering three assists throughout 1,768 minutes.
How Sesko compares to Alexander Isak
Isak, who’s 4 years older than Sesko, has made 24 appearances for the Magpies this season, scoring 17 objectives, offering 5 assists and totalling 1,932 minutes performed. So moderately unsurprisingly, he is bettering the Toon goal.
That mentioned, they share comparable traits and qualities that will make Sesko a positive substitute ought to the Swede depart the north east in 2025.
They’re each blessed with top, Isak standing at 6 foot 4 and Sesko at 6 foot 5, so the forwards have an identical tall however lean body, being deceptively agile for his or her top.
That mentioned, the Swede’s output is healthier throughout the home marketing campaign thus far.
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Benjamin Sesko vs Alexander Isak in 2024/25 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90 minutes) |
Sesko |
Isak |
|
Targets |
0.71 |
0.83 |
|
Assists |
0.12 |
0.24 |
|
xG |
0.40 |
0.70 |
|
xAG |
0.03 |
0.20 |
|
Progressive Carries |
1.75 |
2.82 |
|
Progressive Passes |
1.58 |
2.71 |
|
Photographs Complete |
2.89 |
3.61 |
|
Targets/Shot |
0.21 |
0.23 |
|
Key Passes |
0.51 |
1.82 |
|
Shot-Creating Actions |
1.58 |
3.70 |
|
Aerial Duels Gained |
2.60 |
0.94 |
|
Stats taken from FBref |
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When evaluating Sesko and Isak with the metrics analysed above, you’ll be able to see Isak is, after all, a extra refined model of the Leipzig star, contributing extra with output, discovering himself in higher areas to attain (greater xG generated) and ending at a better degree, with a 0.23 pictures/aim ratio in comparison with Sesko’s 0.21 ratio.
That mentioned, Sesko has been labelled as an “extraordinary” ahead by pundit Tony Cascarino, evaluating his bodily attributes to Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland, however evaluating his dribbling high quality to Manchester United legend, Ryan Giggs.
“He’s a giant lad, highly effective as properly, and he can dribble. For somebody who’s 6 foot 5, he runs with the ball unbelievably. He will get linked to being just like Haaland, however in the event you watch him play, he dribbles like Ryan Giggs.”
This alone exhibits the standard of the tall striker. He is evidently bodily gifted however with the agility and dribbling qualities of a winger, just like Isak.
If the membership’s top-scorer is to go away Newcastle on the finish of the season, Sesko can be an excellent substitute. He’s a younger famous person and able to filling the previous Actual Sociedad striker’s boots within the long-term.
Associated
He’s as good as Isak: Newcastle pushing to sign mega-money “powerhouse”
Newcastle have began to attract up plans for an Isak substitute, with curiosity within the Sweden striker fierce.
