Newcastle United are in competition with Southampton and West Ham United in the race to prise striker Terem Moffi away from Lorient in the ongoing January transfer window.
According to Football Insider, Moffi was apparently watched on by Newcastle United scouts during Lorient’s 2-2 draw with AS Monaco in midweek, but face intense competition from a host of Premier League sides for the 23-year-old Nigerian hitman’s signature.
Moffi has been in red-hot form in Ligue 1 this season. He has found the back of the net 11 times, firing his side into the upper echelons of the French top flight. He is currently the joint third-top scorer in Ligue 1 this season; only the Paris Saint-Germain duo of Neymar (11 goals) and Kylian Mbappe (13 goals) have scored more so far.
And it’s no fluke: the Nigeria international has established himself as one of the top marksmen in France in recent years, having scored 34 goals in 89 games for Les Merlus since arriving from Belgian outfit KV Kortrijk for a measly £7 million transfer fee in October 2020.
While Lorient are reluctant to let one of their prized assets leave in the middle of the season, Moffi only has 18 months left on his current contract at Stade du Moustoir, meaning they may be forced to drop their asking price. As a result, he has caught the attention of several suitors, especially in the Premier League.
Southampton, for one, were among the first teams to register their interest. Per Football Insider, the Saints even lodged a £20 million offer for the striker, only to be swiftly knocked back by Lorient as they look to receive a far more substantial fee for Moffi.
And now, cash-rich Newcastle have joined a host of clubs eyeing a move for the Lorient forward, hoping they can put in a better offer to secure his services if they deem the player capable of adding quality to manager Eddie Howe’s roster.
Newcastle already have an excellent striker in Callum Wilson, but he’s prone to injuries and is in his 30s. Chris Wood, who is well into his 30s and has failed to produce the goods in front of goal so far in his Toon career, will most likely be replaced in the summer. That leaves just Alexander Isak to fill the No. 9 spot.
So, a top-quality addition like Moffi would certainly not go amiss for both present and long-term needs. The Magpies have at times struggled to put away the plethora of chances they create on a regular basis, and having a profligate striker like Wood as the cover hasn’t helped the cause.
Therefore, Moffi would be a huge upgrade on Wood for a multitude of reasons, including his ability to run in behind, link up play, and, to a decent extent, hold the ball up and make things happen.
At the age of 23, Moffi could even become a long-term successor to Wilson, forming an explosive front duo with Isak up top. While Newcastle will most likely continue to monitor him, Dan Ashworth and Co. have their work cut out if they are to win the race for Moffi, with Southampton, Bournemouth, Everton, Aston Villa, Leicester City, and West Ham among the clubs keeping a close eye on the Nigeria international.
