Newcastle Boss Rafa Benitez Targets Loans for Premier League Striking Duo as Window Reopens

Strikers are the priority for Rafa Benitez and Newcastle in the January transfer window, with The Northern Echo reporting that the Magpies have launched loan moves for Liverpool's Danny Ings as well as unsettled Leicester front man Islam Slimani. 

Whether Benitez plans to land both or focus on one, or whether the bids have been accepted is however unknown at this point, with competition expected for both players.

Turkish giants Besiktas are also trying to lure Slimani to Turkey as a potential replacement for Cenk Tosun, who looks set to join Newcastle's Premier League rivals Everton. 

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Slimani joined Leicester in August 2016 for a club record fee of £28m from Sporting CP and had a brilliant start to his Leicester career with a brace on debut against Burnley before scoring the winner in Leicester's first home game in the Champions League against Porto. 

Slimani scored eight goals in his debut season but the arrival of Claude Puel, and a change of formation, has seen Slimani's opportunities very limited. His sole Premier League strike this season came in Leicester's latest match against Huddersfield on New Year's Day. 

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Ings, meanwhile looks set to depart Liverpool, with or without Newcastle. 

After firing Burnley to promotion with 21 goals in 2014, he was signed by Liverpool but a terrible injury early into his first season but he has only made 14 appearances for the Reds with only six of those coming in Premier League matches. 

Goals have been an issue for Newcastle so far this season, with them scoring 20 in 22 games. Only Huddersfield and the bottom two in the league, West Brom and Swansea, have scored fewer. 

Rafa Bentiez's side picked up two vital away wins over the festive period with a 3-2 win at West Ham followed by a 1-0 win at Stoke on Monday.