‘Newcastle well placed to sign Calvert-Lewin and another star striker’
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will only make a move to Newcastle United this summer if another striker comes in alongside him.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said that any club taking a punt on Calvert-Lewin this summer cannot ignore his injury record.
Calvert-Lewin’s nine-year association with Everton finally came to an end on 30 June after the expiry of his contract at Goodison Park, but the speculation over his future is set to continue long into the summer.
Newcastle have been seen as one of the front-runners to sign Calvert-Lewin for some time, and Football Insider revealed on Monday that both Fulham and Eddie Howe’s side are ready to table contract offers.
However, Robinson has told Football Insider that Newcastle’s interest in Calvert-Lewin should come with a huge pinch of salt, given the striker’s lengthy history with injury and barren runs of goalscoring form.
Callum Wilson is still expected to leave St. James’ Park despite reports that Newcastle may offer the 34-year-old a new deal, but Robinson didn’t think signing Calvert-Lewin would be enough for the Magpies.
Questions remain for Newcastle’s Calvert-Lewin pursuit
Calvert-Lewin only managed three goals in 26 appearances before his final season at Everton was cut short by a hamstring injury in January, and Robinson wasn’t confident that he’ll ever regain his best form.
Speaking on the latest Inside Track, he argued that even if Newcastle do sign the 28-year-old on a free transfer this summer, Eddie Howe will still need to bring in another striker to complement Alexander Isak.
“If I’m a manager looking at him, you’re thinking ‘great player, every attribute to be a top centre-forward’, but how many games am I going to get out of him?”, Robinson told Football Insider.
“At Newcastle, they’ve got Alexander Isak there, and Callum Wilson’s gone. Do you take the opportunity of taking Calvert-Lewin?
“If you can get him fit… if you can get him on the pitch, without a doubt he’s a top player who can score goals. It’s just whether a manager will take the risk…
“Can he score goals? Yes. Has he got all the attributes? Absolutely. Are you going to pay him the money of a top, top Premier League striker? You’re not.
“You’re not, because you’re going to need to sign another [striker] alongside him – because you can’t guarantee he’s going to be fit.”
Calvert-Lewin can’t expect dream transfer after Everton exit
Although only two of Calvert-Lewin’s nine seasons at Goodison Park yielded more than 10 league goals, the former England striker is expected to attract numerous offers based on his previous form at Everton.
Manchester United have even explored the prospect of signing Calvert-Lewin this summer, but most clubs eyeing a move for the Yorkshireman will do so with a “bargain” in mind given his injury record.
Robinson previously expected Newcastle to “U-turn” on their interest in the injury-hit forward, but even if Howe’s side do take a punt on him, Calvert-Lewin simply cannot expect to be among the club’s highest earners.