Newcastle United hit with choice between two £20m strikers in January

Here is a round-up of the transfer news and rumours surrounding Newcastle United as we enter the third day of the window…

Newcastle considering loan with option to buy for former Premier League golden boot winner

Newcastle are reportedly considering a loan move for out of favour Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to The Mirror.

This includes a £20million option to buy should The Magpies remain in the Premier League. The 32-year-old has recently been stripped of his captaincy and has not played for The Gunners since December 6 after a disciplinary breach.

The Athletic reported that the reason for stripping Aubameyang of the captaincy was because he returned late from an authorised trip to France. The Gabon international has departed for the African Cup of Nations this month with his future in North London up in the air.

His reported weekly wage of £350,000 is likely to deter other potentially interested clubs from making a move given that he turns 33 ahead of the 2022-23 season. Newcastle are in the market for a striker this month following a calf injury to top scorer Callum Wilson. Aubameyang has scored 92 goals in 163 appearances for Arsenal.

An alternative £20m option emerges for Newcastle

United are also understood to have their sights on Blackburn Rovers’ forward Ben Brereton-Diaz with The Sunday Mirror reporting that they are ready to make a £20million offer.

The Stoke-born Chile international has been in fine form in the Championship this season, scoring 20 goals in 24 matches so far. Only Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored more in the second tier this season with 22.

Brereton-Diaz has equalled Alan Shearer’s 1994-95 Blackburn record of scoring 20 goals in a season before the start of the new year.

Chelsea looking to ‘hijack’ Trippier move

Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Trippier is closing in on a move to Newcastle but European champions Chelsea are also understood to be monitoring the situation regarding the England international.

The Northern Echo claim Thomas Tuchel is hoping to lure the former Tottenham Hotspur defender back to the capital this month. But with discussions regarding a move to St James’s Park at an advanced stage, it would be difficult for Chelsea to gazump the Premier League strugglers.

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