Newcastle make contact over Florian Balogun - Report
Striker links continue to surface for Newcastle United despite the messaging from the club being that they are not looking to recruit a centre-forward this summer.
Eddie Howe told reporters that he's happy with his current crop of strikers while admitting that they didn't really live up to expectations last season.
Will Osula ended up as the first-choice striker towards the end of the season, leaving £69m Nick Woltemade and £55m Yoane Wissa extremely frustrated.
Given the lack of goals from the front three last term, Newcastle fans would certainly not object if the Magpies were to try and find a new striker this summer.
Newcastle have contacted Monaco about Florian Balogun
The USA's Florian Balogun has been impressing at the World Cup, and links between him and Newcastle have started to resurface online after he was mentioned in April.
Indeed, French outlet Jeunes Footeux has claimed that Newcastle have reached out to AS Monaco over a move for the 24-year-old.
Monaco are demanding at least £43 million for the former Arsenal man, which could put Newcastle off. Although Aston Villa are also thought to be monitoring his situation.
Balogun registered 13 goals and five assists for Monaco in Ligue 1 last season and has two goals and an assist in two games at the World Cup so far.
Newcastle need a confident striker
He's certainly in form, and Newcastle could really do with a confident striker next season, but we just don't see this one happening.
Sport Witness covered the story, and they were trying to claim that Newcastle would have to sell Yoane Wissa before making a serious offer for Balogun, and that certainly won't be easy.
Who is going to give Newcastle a decent fee for a striker who is almost 30 years old, spent four months out of action last season and failed to hit any kind of form when he returned?
Our best bet is to hope that the World Cup and pre-season help Wissa and Woltemade regain confidence so they can hit the ground running for Newcastle next season.
