Steve Bruce, Alan Shearer and thousands of Newcastle United fans appear to all have one desire this summer and that’s for the Magpies to sign Joe Willock. However, Steve Howey has claimed that the club could do worse than to sign recently-relegated Matheus Pereira.
Rob Lee recently talked up Pereira’s performances for West Brom this season as he exclusively spoke to Transfer Tavern about how the Hammers could sign the Baggies’ top scorer if they can’t afford Jesse Lingard this summer.
Who is the better player?
Willock!
Pereira!
Pereira had an excellent debut Premier League season despite West Brom failing to beat the drop as the Brazillian found the net 11 times and registered six assists in 33 appearances.
Newcastle fans will be clamouring for Mike Ashley to splash the cash on Willock who really left a mark during his short spell on Tyneside, but Howey would not be against the idea of signing Pereira, as he told This is Futbol:
“I think Newcastle would do well signing him because I think he’s a decent player. You look at the teams that get relegated and they always seem to lose their best players.
“It is surprising that West Brom went down because they have got some good individual players and some of them could certainly stay in the Premier League with other clubs.”
There were reports earlier this season when the Baggies still had a chance of staying in the Premier League that they would look to sell Pereira this summer, no matter what league they ended up in next season.
The Brazillian will certainly have a lot of potential suitors after his performances since arriving in England having found the net 20 times and recorded 26 assists during his time at the Hawthorns.