Warren Barton says Newcastle need to sign someone who’s just like £34m Liverpool player.
Former Newcastle United defender Warren Barton believes the club still need to make an X-factor signing.
The Newcastle United squad is dripping with quality after a significant summer investment from owners PIF.
Clearly, it wasn’t an ideal summer transfer window, but Newcastle did end it with a much deeper squad than they had before.
That should tee Eddie Howe’s side up nicely for a Champions League campaign alongside their domestic duties, although Barton believes there’s still something missing.
Newcastle United urged to find the next Mohamed Salah
Barton, who made 215 appearances for Newcastle over a seven-year period, believes the club are yet to sign a player who boasts the kind of X-factor Liverpool star Mohamed Salah does.
Obviously, signing a player as good as Salah is easier said than done. However, as per Sky Sports, Liverpool paid £34million to sign the forward from Roma in 2017 – which suggests there is value for money out there in the European market.
Newcastle arguably had a player with the kind of X-factor Barton is talking about in the form of Alexander Isak, though he joined Salah at Liverpool on deadline day.
Speaking on his podcast, Barton said: “We haven’t got that. So that’s the next level for us, for Newcastle to be that next level team, is to find that X factor player that can do it when you’re not playing well like a Mo Salah he might bend it in the top corner.
Newcastle United plot new scouting missions to unearth new gems like Mohamed Salah
According to The Daily Mail, the club’s scouting operations have grown across the footballing world.
They are now focusing on areas of maximum gain, although it’s not exactly clear where they are.
The plan is to unearth more hidden gems who have gone under the radar at other clubs.
Salah perhaps isn’t the best example considering he was signed by Chelsea as a youngster, but clearly Liverpool saw something the Blues couldn’t.
As the PIF project develops, it would be nice to see Newcastle conduct similar deals in the transfer market going forward.