Bafetimbi Gomis has been doing the business in Ligue 1 since 2007, but could he cut in the Premier League? Five years after their initial interest during his time at Saint-Etienne, Newcastle United have reportedly agreed a fee for the French striker with his current club Lyon.
Whilst controversy surrounded Papiss Cisse regarding his religious beliefs and the Magpies’ new shirt sponsors Wonga, it could also be argued that the club have never really replaced the goals of Demba Ba. For £8 million, that problem may be about to be solved.
It is often said that some foreign players need time to settle in England and adapt to the fast-paced game our country is known for. A France international, Gomis would be joining ten of his compatriots at St James’ Park, which may enable him to feel at home and continue his goal-scoring exploits.
Alan Pardew saw his side impressively finish fifth in 2012, but the following campaign would be nowhere near as joyous. November was a winless month for Newcastle, who lost four of their five league games to ultimately enter them into a relegation dogfight, a scrap in which they narrowly avoided the drop in the penultimate match of the season. However, despite their struggles, the North-East club did manage to make it through to the quarter finals of the Europa League before being knocked out by eventual finalists Benfica.
Toon fans will be hoping for a better year in 2013/14, but will Bafetimbi Gomis be the man to turn their fortunes around?