Newcastle want £40m Gordon clone who “cannot be stopped”

Newcastle United’s chequered form this season matches their black-and-white stripes, but there’s no question that Eddie Howe is seeking to turn St. James’ Park toward the limelight.

Having tasted defeat against Chelsea in the Premier League just over a week ago, the Magpies have responded with ferocious intent, trouncing the Blues in the Carabao Cup before holding Arsenal on Saturday in a masterful home victory in the top flight.

There’s a long road to walk, but the signs are promising, with United piecing themselves back together after the injury-hit issues of last season – and that’s in spite of a frustrating summer transfer window that failed to see goals achieved.

Just imagine if Newcastle hit the nail on the head in the market next year.

Newcastle’s search for a new forward

According to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, Newcastle are hot on the trail of Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, who has emerged as one of the most clinical forwards in the Premier League this season.

As per Waugh, responding to a question from a supporter in a Q & A, talks have been held within the club regarding the Magpies’ interest in the winger, with there undoubted ‘admiration’ for the 25-year-old at St James’ Park.

That said, Waugh also added that is yet to be seen whether Mbeumo – who has a mooted price tag of around £40m – is actually the first-choice target for Paul Mitchell and co, despite having confirmed himself to be one of the hottest attacking commodities in the division of late.

Why Bryan Mbeumo would be perfect for Newcastle

While Mbeumo certainly wouldn’t come cheap if Mitchell is to press on with a move, Newcastle are hardly averse to forking out a big sum for the right target. In August, at the backend of the market, a £50m bid was launched in Nottingham Forest’s direction for Anthony Elanga, though this was flatly rejected.

It would be fair to guess that United would be content with paying a similar sum for a player like Mbeumo, not least because the versatile forward is a more potent and incisive player.

Last season, The Athletic’s Jay Harris remarked that Mbeumo “cannot be stopped” in front of goal, with injuries the only thing that could prevent the 25-year-old from enjoying prominence in the Premier League.

This term, he’s been a different beast entirely. A certain striker named Erling Haaland – you might have heard of him – is the only player with more Premier League goals than Mbeumo in 2024/25.

Mbeumo actually ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored (0.54) per 90, as per FBref, which bears testament to the man’s prolific consistency. It’s something that could go down a treat on the Newcastle right flank, alternate to Anthony Gordon on the left.

Mbeumo is also one of the most accurate strikers in the Premier League, with only Chris Wood, Nottingham Forest’s goal machine, hitting the inside netting with greater accuracy in 2024/25 – and he’s in the form of his career.

It’s a deal that Newcastle must throw the kitchen sink at completing, with analyst Ben Mattinson even remarking that “Gordon, Isak and Mbeumo would be one of the best attacks in the league.”

The forwards would come together in a melting pot of attacking skillsets that could indeed bear major dividends for Howe’s project, reviving the fluency that has been on show for much of his tenure.

Especially when considering that, stylistically, he’d be sure to dovetail right into the Tynside system. FBref record that Gordon is Mbeumo’s most comparably-performing player in the Premier League this season, with both wingers producing prolific results and utilising their pace and directness.

Gordon holds slight advantages across a number of key metrics, but both players are in fine fettle and earning their stripes as some of the finest forwards performing on English shores.

Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron are the current options jockeying for a focal role on the right flank, neither are exactly plays of the highest class, capable of leading Newcastle to the uppermost echelons of the Premier League.

They are industrious wingers, to be sure, but, conversely, Mbeumo’s demonstrable scoring ability makes him a tailor-made fit to perch on the right wing.

Mbeumo, moreover, is producing the kind of athletic and energetic level of performance that it befitting of a team like Newcastle, challenging for the top. As per Sofascore, he has averaged 1.7 key passes, 5.3 ball recoveries and 4.0 successful duels per game in the Premier League, revealing that he is far more than a mere sharpshooter.

Ultimately, Newcastle failed to achieve their goals in the transfer market this summer and are thus struggling to meet the lofty expectations that have been set through Howe’s previous brilliance.

Even so, Newcastle are fighting valiantly for a place at the top of the table – and have advanced to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup too.

There’s something missing, and that something might just be a player like Mbeumo. It’s time to bite down and pay Brentford the money required to bring him to St. James’ Park.