NUFC eyeing deal for "insane" £17m gem with a "scoring nose", he's a big Wood upgrade – opinion

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Giovanni Simeone in the summer transfer window…

According to the print edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Football Italia, the Magpies are eyeing up a swoop for the Argentine centre-forward.

The report claims that Napoli, Juventus, Valencia and Sevilla are also keen on the striker and will compete with the Toon to land his signature.

It is stated that Hellas Verona are willing to cash in on him if they receive an offer in the region of €20m (£17m) in the coming weeks.

By signing Simeone this summer, Newcastle can land Eddie Howe a big upgrade on former Burnley centre-forward Chris Wood.

The Magpies snapped the New Zealand international up from the Clarets in January and he struggled to find his form in the second half of the campaign. He managed just two goals in 17 games (15 starts) for the club in the Premier League as he failed to make a big impact in the final third.

Along with his faltering form in terms of goals, the 30-year-old offers little in the way of creativity. In 34 top-flight games for Burnley and Newcastle combined last term, he created one ‘big chance’ and did not record a single assist for either team.

This suggests that Dan Ashworth can improve the squad by bringing in a striker with the potential to find the back of the net on a regular basis, which is something Wood has been unable to do thus far.

Simeone can be that player as he has showcased his ability in front of goal during his time in the Serie A in recent years. Journalist Toni Padilla previously claimed that he has a “scoring nose” and scout Jacek Kulig dubbed his goalscoring record in the first half of the 2021/22 campaign “insane“.

The 26-year-old ended last season with 17