Burnley Relegation Versus Newcastle After Wood Signing

Following Newcastle United’s takeover by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, there was an heir of inevitability that the Magpies would significantly strengthen their squad in a bid to fight against relegation from the Premier League.

Back in October, after the sale of the St James’ Park club by Mike Ashley, Financial Fair Play Rules stated that the Toon Army would be able to spend in a region of £200m in the January Transfer Window. It is hardly a surprise that Newcastle look like they could be on their way to doing this, considering they are 19th in the Premier League table and just two points behind 17th placed Watford.

As far, the Magpies have been linked to several names, such as Anthony Martial, Sven Botman, Diego Carlos, Benoit Badiashille, Aaron Ramsey, Todd Cantwell and more, as they look to improve a playing squad that lacks significant amounts of quality in key areas, having conceded 42 in 19 Premier League games, whilst averaging one goal scored per match.

England international right-back Kieran Trippier recently became Newcastle’s first signing of their new era, headed by former manager Eddie Howe, signing from the champions of Spain, Atletico Madrid for an astute fee of £12m plus add-ons, leaving plenty of finances to strengthen in other key areas, however, their second signing is one that not many had anticipated.

Burnley striker Chris Wood is set to become Newcastle’s next signing, which is a surprise to fans of the Magpies and Premier League as a whole, leaving many to question why they’ve gone down this route, rather than signing a bigger name considering their financial muscle.

Effectively, Wood will inevitably be a fall guy in the coming years when Newcastle will hope to have consolidated their position in the Premier League and make a push for the European qualification places, but, in their current predicament, the 30-year-old Kiwi is what they need, a striker who will work hard, play the team game and ultimately score them goals and help them earn key results.

The former Leeds United man will be a miss at Turf Moor unless he is adequately replaced, having managed 50 goals and seven assists in 155 Premier League appearances, with 49 of these coming for the Clarets in 148 appearances in the top flight, whilst his other matches and goal came with Leicester City in 2014/15.

These statistics are why Newcastle have triggered Wood’s reported release clause of £25m, as he is a proven product, who has experience of scoring goals for a side that provides him with less service than those in the top half of the table. To put it into context, only four players have scored 10 or more Premier League goals for Burnley, as Ashley Barnes has 41 to his name, whilst the other two are Sam Vokes and Danny Ings who currently ply their trades at Wycombe Wanderers and Aston Villa.

Ultimately, Newcastle have weakened a relegation rival by taking their all-time top Premier League goalscorer at a time when the Clarets attacking options are thin.

At present, Barnes hasn’t played a Premier League game since Burnley’s defeat at Manchester City in mid-October, having suffered an injury, whilst Matej Vydra’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign and also reportedly needs surgery on a groin/hernia issue, leaving Jay Rodriguez as their main option at present.

What certainly won’t help the Clarets, is Maxwel Cornet’s involvement at AFCON for the Ivory Coast, as the summer signing from Olympique Lyon has been one of the best performers in the Premier League so far this campaign, firing in six of his side’s 16 league goals in 12 appearances, as well as creating one assist, resulting in the Ivorian averaging a goal every 120 minutes.

In context, Wood has played regularly in the Premier League since the start of the 2017/18 season when he joined Burnley from Leeds United. Wood’s 49 league goals for the Clarets would be enough to see him be Newcastle’s second top scorer in Premier League history, having scored twice more for the Turf Moor club than Peter Beardsley did for the Magpies.

Wood has scored 10 or more goals in each of the last four Premier League campaigns for Burnley, which could ultimately keep Newcastle in the Premier League which would give them a good platform for quick progression up the table both this season and in future campaigns.