Why Newcastle parting ways with Miguel Almiron would be the ideal decision

According to NBC Sport, Newcastle midfielder Miguel Almiron has been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid. The player’s agent has stated that Atleti are in contact with him about a potential transfer next season. He also said that an exit could not be arranged in January because of the COVID situation.

Profile

Almiron, 26, rose through the ranks of Cerro Porteno but failed to establish himself with the club’s senior set-up. He then moved to Argentina with Atletico Lanus, where he made 40 appearances in two seasons before joining MLS side Atlanta United.

His move to the United States helped him revive his career as he went on to make 70 appearances for the MLS outfit, scoring 22 goals providing 21 assists before Newcastle picked him up in January 2019.

Though he immediately became a regular member at St. James’ Park, he struggled to settle in the Premier League in the first few months. And he also struggled with a hamstring injury towards the start of 2019.

However, last season, he was a regular and featured in all but one league game. Though the Magpies struggled for goals for the majority of the last campaign, Almiron has done a decent job so far. He has firmly established himself in Steve Bruce’s starting XI. The Paraguayan is also an experienced member of the national side with 26 appearances and 2 goals (source – Transfermarkt).

Newcastle should sell Miguel Almiron

When Newcastle signed Almiron in 2019, it was seen as a relative gamble given he was arriving from the MLS. While he had good numbers there, the MLS has always been regarded as a weaker league.

Almiron took some time to settle at the club but he has produced decent stats for the Magpies. However, the attacking midfielder looks out of sorts at the club because of the tactics employed by Steve Bruce. Newcastle employ a low block, which means that their midfield drops deep and basically forms another defensive line.

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Almiron, who is used to playing in a more creative setup, struggles occasionally because of that. It is very unlikely that Bruce is shown the door soon, which means the Paraguayan will not be able to produce his best for the club. Clearly, a creative player like him is underperforming and the club should look to put him on the market soon.