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5 attacking players Newcastle should consider signing this summer

By Durim Halimi

REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY - DECEMBER 02: Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo in action during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and Udinese at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on December 2, 2018 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)
REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY - DECEMBER 02: Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo in action during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and Udinese at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on December 2, 2018 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images) /
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REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – JANUARY 18: Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo looks on during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and Torino FC at Mapei Stadium – Città  del Tricolore on January 18, 2020 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – JANUARY 18: Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo looks on during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and Torino FC at Mapei Stadium – Città  del Tricolore on January 18, 2020 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) /

2. Milot Rashica

Like Vedat Muriqi, Milot Rashica is also a Kosovo international and the attacking midfielder plays his football for Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. Rashica was standout player in the Eredivisie (Netherlands) and he has maintained his reputation as a top talent with his performances for Werder Bremen over the last two-and-a-half seasons. Rashica joined Werder Bremen during the January transfer window of the 2017-18 campaign from Vitesse, but it was last season when he lit up the Bundesliga.

Rashica scored nine goals and completed five assists while switching back and forth between the number ten role and being a winger. This season, the 23-year-old has scored seven goals and completed three assists in 18 appearances. At the international level, Rashica is Kosovo’s main playmaker as he leads the majority of his national team’s attacks, and he has scored four goals in his last 13 appearances for his country.

A direct comparison could be made between Rashica and Benrahma, who was mentioned earlier in this slideshow, so Newcastle United have similar players they can look at in case they miss out on one of these talented midfielders.

1. Domenico Berardi

Domenico Berardi is a well-known striker in Italy, but not many football fans have heard of his name in England. The 28-year-old currently plays for Sassuolo in the Serie A and Sassuolo has been his home since 2012. Berardi has often flown under the radar as a striker, but he has had a respectable career.

Since 2012, Berardi has scored 75 goals in 229 Serie A appearances, and he has scored in double figures twice. Last season, Berardi scored eight goals and completed four assists, and so far this season he has nine goals and five assists to his name. The one thing that stands out about Berardi is that he is not dependent on others in order to score goals.

Next. Newcastle should stay out of race for Celtic striker. dark

The Italian international (five appearances in 2018) is a technically gifted striker who enjoys taking on defenders and creating chances for himself. That is an attribute Newcastle United fans have not seen in one of their strikers since Papiss Cisse wore the black and white stripes. Berardi also has some Europa League experience under his belt and that would definitely benefit the Magpies’ young and inexperienced front-line.