Former Newcastle United star backs 'talisman' transfer bid and makes bold European claim

Former Newcastle United star Andros Townsend has insisted his old club have every right to ‘go for Europe’ this season.

The Magpies have claimed four points from their opening two games of the season after following up their opening day home win against Southampton with a hard-earned draw at Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon. Thoughts of battling for a place in the top six of the Premier League table this season will be temporarily put aside on Wednesday when Eddie Howe’s side kick off their Carabao Cup campaign with a visit to the City Ground as they face a Nottingham Forest side that could contain former Magpies Chris Wood and Elliot Anderson.

The competition has brought great promise for the Magpies in recent seasons after they reached the final during Howe’s first full season in charge before thoughts of ending the club’s long wait for major silverware were ended by a 2-0 Wembley defeat against Manchester United. The Magpies went on to reach the quarter-final of last season’s Carabao Cup but their progress was halted by a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat in an away tie at Chelsea.

The latter of those defeats came just a week after Howe’s side saw their European campaign ended by a home loss against AC Milan on the final matchday of the Champions League - but competing against the likes of the Serie A giants and fellow group stage opponents Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund gave a hint of what the Magpies are hoping to experience on a regular basis over the coming years. Missing out on Europe last season despite finishing in seventh place in the Premier League proved to be a big blow for United - but Townsend has stressed his old club can return to the form they showed during their successful pursuit of a top four spot two seasons ago.

Speaking on BBC 5Live Monday Night Club: “We saw the last time they weren’t in Europe and with the Saturday games, you saw what they could produce on a week-to-week basis. Last season was a messy season because they had Champions League football for the first half. I think Newcastle will be alright and go for Europe. For this season, with the fans behind them, with the players they have actually got in the dressing room. They are going to be going for Europe, for sure.”

The former Magpies winger also believes Newcastle can boost their hopes of securing a return to European football by securing the signing of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, a player Townsend described as a ‘real talisman’.

He said: “The PSR is just hamstrung a lot of football clubs. That really is a statement signing to sign a player of Marc Guehi’s calibre. Great Euros. Great last season for Crystal Palace. He is their real talisman, so to nick a player from one of your rivals is a big statement signing if they can get it over the line.”