It has today been confirmed by Mark Douglas that Newcastle United are interested in 24-year-old Croatian Dion Drena Beljo, after reports earlier in the week linked the striker ahead of the January transfer window.
While it is good to hear that the club are eyeing up reinforcements in the forward line, with the current crop not quite cutting it on the goal scoring front, it does feel as though the outcome of pursuing a possible deal could tell us a lot about what to expect from the next couple of years of this project.
Beljo on fire
It is no surprise that Newcastle have been tracking Beljo; the Croatian has been in unbelievable form this season so far, racking up a monstrous 29 goal contributions in just 20 games across all competitions - including a goal against Sunderland last week in the Europa League.
Beljo stands at 6ft 5in tall and provides an excellent focal point for Dinamo Zagreb. The 24-year-old pairs his imposing physical presence with some deft technical ability and intelligent movement across the forward line that makes him more than a handful for centre-backs.
In fact, Beljo has almost all of the attributes that Newcastle are currently missing from a striker to play in Jaissle’s system and the Croatian would go a long way to bringing the attacking threat that the Magpies are struggling with at present.
Unfortunately, Beljo’s profile is an sought-after one in football right now, especially given the underwhelming nature of the current striker market. That has seen a plethora of other Premier League clubs also show their interest in his services, something which could prove a hindrance to Newcastle’s bid for his signature if it arises.
Why it could tell us a lot
It is no secret that Newcastle United have struggled to get their top targets across the line in recent windows, often being left with their fourth or fifth on the shortlist instead.
It feels as though the current iteration of the club could actually be less attractive when it comes to convincing players that Tyneside is the right destination to further their career - due to the loss of European football, players departing to other clubs who Newcastle wanted to compete with, and the uncertainty surrounding the current situation.
Conversely, Newcastle do have a slightly different package to offer than they once did, and it feels like there is an internal understanding that positioning themselves as a club for developing players and giving them that platform to take the next big step in their career might be the most fruitful route.
With that being said, if the Magpies do act on their interest and make a strong move for Beljo, whether we manage to get the deal over the line or have to settle for watching him move to another club could tell us a lot about how the project will pan out going forward.
If Beljo gets offers from the ‘big six’ clubs or those in the elite category abroad and chooses that pathway over coming to Tyneside, then we know we are probably in a similar position to previous windows.
But if the Magpies can use the project to persuade him that Newcastle is the right destination, whether that be against the challenge of bigger clubs or those in and around where the Magpies are aiming to be, then we could be in for some interesting times as Newcastle 2.0 develops.
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