Amid the doom and gloom at Newcastle United as familiar faces depart and the future looks uncertain, do not sleep on the signing of Bazoumana Toure. The Ivorian winger has the potential to be one of the most exciting Premier League arrivals this summer. There were limited opportunities to show that at the World Cup.
Toure started only one game. He was introduced in the 89th minute in Cote d'Ivoire's knockout defeat to Norway only after Erling Haaland had scored what turned out to be the winning goal. But Newcastle acted on the evidence of his first full season with Hoffenheim, a wildly impressive campaign in which the club only missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day.
The electrifying Toure was a standout performer in Germany. Always an outlet on the left, he made more sprints than any other Bundesliga player last season, ranking among the top 10 fastest players in the competition. Toure was able to spring counter-attacks and get Hoffenheim up the pitch - a key part of their success.
Werder Bremen's Yukinari Sugawara tried it by raking his studs down Toure's calf five minutes into the game on the penultimate weekend of the season. He was sent off and Toure went on to curl an effort high into the net to score the winner. There were five goals in total in the Bundesliga last season, a modest run given his ability.
Newcastle will expect more. But it is his creativity that makes him an attractive option. Toure's dribbling is his strength and there was end product with nine assists too.
His right foot has improved. There were goals with it against St.Pauli and Stuttgart, as well as a clever nutmegged pass to Fisnik Asllani for the equaliser on the opening weekend against Bayer Leverkusen. There are those who will tell you it was not always in the repertoire.
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