Newcastle United’s chances of getting Serhou Guirassy in the January transfer window may have been handed a boost, as VfB Stuttgart are already lining up replacements for him.
That’s according to Sky Sport Germany, who say Stuttgart already have ‘two potential successors’ on a list of players to replace their star striker.
Guirassy has earned himself a growing list of admirers after his performances this season which have seen him manage 18 goals and two assists in 15 games in all competitions this season.
Those numbers have him chasing Harry Kane in the goalscoring charts and have made him a potential bargain for suitors, who know he has a €17.5m release clause in his current contract.
Newcastle are one of those who have been named as suitors, although it has been made clear that they would have to pay more than others as the striker’s clause is flexible.
Either way, the Magpies are very much in the mix for him, with it believed they’ll be active in January to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad after an injury ravaged first half of the campaign.
Stuttgart have been fighting back against that and indicating they’re doing everything in their power to stop a move happening, but it seems internally, things may be different.
Sky report that the striker’s future ‘remains completely open’ and Stuttgart know this, as well as the fact they have little say in the matter thanks to his clause.
At this point no club has turned their interest in anything ‘particularly concrete’ but the Germans are preparing nonetheless and SC Braga’s Simon Banza and Torino’s Antonio Sanabria on their list of possible replacements.
Both of these options would be cheaper than the clause taking Guirassy away, indicating that Stuttgart are preparing to keep some of the money they would make from Guirassy’s departure.
In other words, they don’t seem to be putting up any particular barriers to stop the striker from leaving and even seemed resigned to the fact it’s happening.
Whether that means he ends up at Newcastle remains to be seen but the fact his current club already have replacements lined up is surely a positive for the Magpies.
