Newcastle United opinion: Should the Magpies sign Jan Hurtado?

According to a report from the Express, Newcastle United are interested in signing Gimnasia La Plata’s Venezuelan starlet Jan Hurtado in the summer.

The young forward is rated at £7million, which will turn out to be peanuts if the Bin Zayed group can successfully complete their takeover attempt. Mike Ashley is in talks with Sheikh Khaled, a cousin of Manchester City’s billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour, in the summer.

Newcastle could turn into the force that City have become in the last few years but they will have to hold onto Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard is yet to commit his future with the club and as things stand, a decision will not be made until the takeover talks are completed.

However, the report reveals that Benitez is still looking at potential reinforcements despite the uncertainty and Jan Hurtado is one of the players targeted.

A new striker will be a priority in the summer, especially if Salomon Rondon isn’t signed on permanently. The Venezuelan has had a tremendous season on loan from West Brom but his future is still uncertain.

Dwight Gayle has returned from his loan with the Baggies but keeping hold of the Englishman after his poor record in the Premier League is an issue that Newcastle don’t need at the moment.

The Magpies should sign Rondon on a permanent deal and as a backup sign his compatriot Jan Hurtado in the summer.

The 19-year-old is highly rated in Argentina thanks to his physical presence and his movement in and around the box. Hurtado is very similar to Rondon in terms of his hold up play.

The forward uses his immense strength to hold the ball up for his teammates while he has the intelligence to drop deeper into the midfield to open up space for the wingers.

Hurtado is an immense aerial threat despite only being 6 feet tall. The Venezuelan has an incredible leap on him and that combined with his agility in movement makes him a real gem.

Hurtado still has a long way to go but under Rafa Benitez’s guidance and playing alongside his senior national teammate in Rondon, he is sure to improve.

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Conclusion

Newcastle United have identified a real star in Jan Hurtado, who has the potential to be a fine forward in the coming years.

The young striker is by no means a finished product and has a long way to go to fulfil his potential but Benitez can work his magic on him to accelerate the process in the near future.