Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson has been linked with a move away from the club this month, with Atletico Madrid interested.
According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are now prepared to sanction the departure Callum Wilson for a fee of around £20 million. Recent reports have linked the experienced striker with Atletico Madrid.
Callum Wilson Set to Leave Newcastle United?
Callum Wilson has been a key player for Newcastle United since arriving from Bournemouth in a £20 million deal. But he has had his fair share of injury problems. The striker has eight goals to his name this season, and he could prove to be a quality acquisition for most mid-table clubs.
It will be interesting to see if any club is willing to pay the reported £20 million asking price for him. Recent reports have linked the English international with Atletico Madrid, although Newcastle United rejected their approach.
Newcastle United face Financial Fair Play implications, and they need to raise funds in order to comply with the regulations. They are already working on a deal to sell Miguel Almiron to a Saudi Pro League, and it seems that they are prepared to sacrifice Wilson as well so that they can balance the books, even though recent reports contradict those claims.
Newcastle have had a difficult season so far, and they are likely to miss out on UEFA Champions League qualification. It would be a major blow to their revenue, and they must sell players in order to match up to the financial regulations.
Wilson is still very much at the peak of his powers, and whoever ends up signing him will have a reliable goal scorer on their hands. The striker will hope to get over his injury problems and showcases qualities on a more regular basis. The reported £20 million asking price seems reasonable for a player of his quality, and Wilson should be able to justify the investment.
Newcastle United are going through a rough patch right now, and it will be interesting to see if they can improve their squad in January and bounce back strongly during the second half of the season. They were expected to compete for Champions League qualification this season, but things have clearly not gone according to plan because of a number of injury problems and suspensions.
Eddie Howe is under a lot of pressure as well, and there has been speculation surrounding his long term future at the club because of the teams poor performances. It will be interesting to see how Newcastle cope with the departure of key players like Wilson and Almiron during the second half of the campaign.