Football League World
·29 November 2024
Football League World
·29 November 2024
Newcastle United are keeping tabs on Coventry City striker Norman Bassette.
Newcastle United have sent scouts to watch Coventry City’s Norman Bassette, with the striker tipped for a bright future in the game.
The 20-year-old only joined the Sky Blues in the summer window from Caen, and he has gone on to make eight appearances for the club, with his first goal for the club coming in the recent draw against Sheffield United.
Despite the lack of goals, Bassette has impressed with his all-round game, with the youngster a quick, powerful number nine who has the potential to get better.
Even though he has been in England a matter of months, it appears Bassette is making a name for himself, as the Daily Mail has revealed that Newcastle are watching his progress.
They state that the Magpies sent representatives to watch Bassette in recent games, and that they see him as a striker who has huge potential.
The update adds that Bassette is viewed as someone who could develop in the way that Viktor Gyokeres did, with the Sporting CP man arguably the most in-demand striker on the planet since his move from Coventry.
There’s no mention of what sort of fee that Newcastle would need to pay to prise Bassette away from the Midlands outfit, although Coventry would no doubt make a huge profit on the £3m they paid for the player in the summer, whilst Caen also included a sell-on clause as part of the agreement.
It should be said that Bassette is still a young, raw player, so it does feel early that he is linked with a move to the Premier League.
But, it gives an insight into just how highly-rated he is, and it looks like an outstanding bit of business from Coventry to bring him in.
The fact he recently won his first Belgium cap is another example of how he is viewed, and Frank Lampard will be challenged with getting the best out of the youngster now that he has been confirmed as Mark Robins’ successor.
In terms of his ability, Bassette has the potential to do everything you want from a striker, so the comparisons to Gyokeres are understandable, even if it’s very early days.
Whether Bassette should be looking to leave is open for debate, as he is at a stage in his career where he needs to be playing regularly, and he will get more minutes on the pitch with the Sky Blues than Newcastle.
From Coventry’s perspective, it’s unlikely they will be too worried about this update, as Bassette signed a long-term contract upon his arrival, so they are under no pressure to cash in.
The January window will be about adding quality to the squad, with Lampard sure to assess the group over the next month before deciding where they need to improve.
On paper, Coventry have a very good squad, so it’s unlikely to be a busy month, and the immediate priority for the new boss will be getting results quickly.
Lampard’s first game in charge is against Cardiff City on Saturday, with Bassette sure to play some part for the hosts.
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