How Newcastle can quickly improve on Toure in the transfer window

Newcastle United are struggling to stop Arsenal as the Premier League champions attempt to sign Bruno Guimaraes, but the persuasive Toon has something not quite right about them. They have seen this one before.

It is sad that it is still pouring into St. James’ Park, Eddie Howe and his team suffered from any obstacles in the transfer window for the second year in a row.

Sandro Tonali has already been sold to Tottenham Hotspur. Good. The Magpies repaid £100m, although Guimaraes’ exit increased the need for new midfielders, in addition to Sean Steur, a talented £23m midfielder who joined from Ajax, but an 18-year-old midfielder nonetheless.

It’s not just the park center that needs work, though. Newcastle are also looking at one or two more to reduce the departure of striker Anthony Gordon.

Why Bazoumana Toure is not ready to replace Gordon

In Bazoumana Toure, Newcastle have signed a 20-year-old winger with plenty of potential. The Ivory Coast international is still young, and it may be unfair to expect him to replace and perhaps improve Gordon, who joined Barcelona for £69m last month.

He is mischievous in front of goal, for one thing. Newcastle lacked effective weapons in front of goal last season, and Gordon, who scored just six goals in the Premier League, took on the role of mastermind in Howe’s struggling side.

Toure will play a role, but he won’t be the Tynesider’s leading man. The electric player is raw, and has only started one game for his nation at the World Cup, which is still growing in his skin and on that field.

Newcastle signed Toure from Hoffenheim for £43m. He is one of the most impressive young players in the world, but there are standards in this game, and the Premier League will not pull any punches in trying to stop the young striker from his top flight.

It is time for the PIF to show that it can strengthen the middle and the front.

How can Newcastle cover Gordon’s place?

Toure is an exciting talent, someone who could make a difference at times next season, creating for his teammates up front at Newcastle while slowing down the pace in the left channel.

But something is still missing, and according to reports in Spain, via Sports Witness, Newcastle could still make a move for Abde Ezzalzouli this summer.

Ez Abde, as he is better known, has been linked with Aston Villa this summer, but Unai Emery’s side are unwilling to meet Real Betis’ €60m (£51m) asking price, leaving the door open for Newcastle to establish themselves as a front-runner.

The report suggests that Ez Abde has held a meeting with his La Liga club in recent days to determine the price he will be allowed to continue. Reading between the lines here, it is clear that he hopes to leave the club, and is currently studying English as he expects to move to the Premier League.

Ez Abde is a talented striker. Praised for his “relentless” running style by commentator and Como scout Ben Mattinson, the Moroccan, who missed the World Cup cruelly through injury, is 24 years old and in recent years has shown a more complete package than a young player like Toure.

You are very talented. So style. So inventive. Ez Abde is all of those things, but there is something inside his game. He has a talismanic aura about him that I could see replacing Gordon – all the while allowing Toure the freedom to ease into his role down the wing.

This sounds like the right move for Newcastle. At £51m, he will be signing a statement, but not a coffers-drainer. There is work to be done in the middle of the field, after all.

The Betis man plays on the left, but is willing and able to switch to a more central attacking position, which I could see playing Gordon’s role with more determination than the talented but young Toure.