Luque is only a partial solution to Newcastle's striker shortage

With legend Shearer on his last legs, Bellamy and Kluivert gone, and Ameobi consistently injured, it has been obvious for some time that Newcastle needed to bring in some firepower to the club. As an Arsenal fan, this fact really struck me when the young winger, James Milner, came on as substitute striker for Shearer on opening day. A club the stature of Newcastle should not be in such a deprived position. No goals in the first three premeirship games forcefully underlines this.

The purchase yesterday of Albert Luque for £9.55 m is a partial solution to the Newcastle striker crisis. This player is pure quality. A fantastic left foot, a classy dribbler, and comfortable either up front or on the left wing. But as Souness said yesterday, he is not a prolific goalscorer. His return of 11 Primera Liga goals for Depor last season was his best in three seasons. To use an old cliche: he is a scorer of great goals, not a great goal-scorer.

Therefore, I would be happy if I were a Newcastle fan to hear that Souness has declared his intent to purchase another striker. Personally, I would leave Owen alone. He has shown a disrespect for Newcastle by admitting that he would only wear the black and white shirt on a temporary, last-resort basis. I further think that the other player mentioned by Souness as a possible purchase is the better all-round player: Dirk Kuyt. He has a big shot, is a powerful header of the ball, and a goal record of 29 last season speaks for itself. He is a pure centre-forward with a physical presence in the mould of an RVN or a Shearer, and I'm sure he could be a 15-20 goal striker.

If Kuyt was to join Newcastle I think it would be the buy of the summer in the Premiership. He is definitely more of an answer to Newcastle's striker shortage than the skilful Luque. A Shearer-Kuyt partnership, with Luque supporting, would make Newcastle a much greater force to reckoned with.