Newcastle United are eyeing a move for Middlesbrough attacker Adama Traore in the summer, as per reports from the Yorkshire Post (h/t The Sun).
The former Barcelona academy graduate has been attracting a lot of interest of late, with Premier League giants Chelsea too understood to be monitoring the 22-year-old, along with London rivals West Ham United.
The £15m-rated attacker had a brilliant season as Boro finished in the playoff positions in the EFL Championship but failed to earn promotion, as they were ousted by Aston Villa in the playoff semi-finals.
Having joined the Teessiders from Aston Villa in 2016, Traore struggled for consistency but he did manage to show glimpses of his tremendous abilities that has seen him get rated as one of the most exciting young players to have come through Barca’s famed La Masia academy in recent years.
The raw pace that he possesses, combined with the ability to beat his man with his nimble footwork on the ball is something that has earned rave reviews from all quarters.
However, a lack of consistency in his performances, combined with a lack of maturity and poor decision making had not allowed him to develop into the player that he can actually become.
Nevertheless, judging by his performances in the second half of last season, all that seems to be behind him now. He was one of Boro’s better performers as they charged towards promotion under Tony Pulis.
Under the tutelage of the former West Bromwich Albion manager, who took over from Garry Monk midway through the season, Traore has flourished at an extremely rapid rate.
The speedy winger finished the season with 5 goals and 10 assists in 34 appearances in the English second division, all of which came after the turn of the year.
Newcastle United finished 10th in the table upon their return to the top-flight last season. Manager Rafael Benitez did some brilliant work at the club, given the squad at his disposal and restrictions over delving into the transfer market.
The likes of captain Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey and Ayoze Perez all played a key role in ensuring that the Magpies had a solid end to the campaign.
However, the impact that loan signing Kenedy had on their season cannot be understated. The Brazilian arrived from Chelsea in January and added an alternate dimension to the Tynesiders’ attack, playing a key role in their flourish towards the end of the season.
The impact that the Brazilian had made at the St. James’ Park had prompted Benitez to consider a permanent move for him but with the likes of Arsenal and RB Leipzig also entering the fray for his signature, a move seems unlikely.
With a move for Kenedy dead in the water, Traore could prove to be a fine replacement for the Chelsea wide man. Capable of playing on either flank, the 22-year-old possesses a tremendous amount of pace and has the dribbling skills to back it up.
His end product has seen a lot of improvement over the past few months and he can be a threat from set-piece situations as well.
At 22, Traore is young and has shown a great amount of potential in his fledgeling career. There have been inconsistency in his performances but Benitez is a manager who is very much capable of getting the best out of him.
The player also has the experience of playing in the Premier League and will know what is needed of him to make it at this level. Go for it Newcastle.