Rafa Benitez
Newcastle United’s return to the Premier League two seasons ago was met with pomp and joy from the Toon Army’s supporters. Then manager Rafael Benitez took them to a tenth place finish having spent a meagre amount as compared to the other teams in top-flight.
During 2017/18 season, the hope was slowly coming back around the St. James’ Park. However, this campaign has been negative-filled, to say the least. We can see what does happen when money doesn’t come in properly – the club suffers.
That being said, Italian outlet Calciomercato has revealed that the Magpies are chasing after Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, along with other strugglers Fulham. The 28-year-old has been a crucial part of Slavia Prague’s season so far making 24 appearances this season.
However, despite that, it’s his relatively low-price tag that has attracted Newcastle United, with Calciomercato revealing that Ngadeu-Ngadjui’s current release clause is only a mere £4million.
That combined with the defender’s rare skill-set makes him a must-have for the struggling Magpies before the January window closes. Speed and agility, with strength and brilliant defensive acumen, is something few centre-backs have. His passing and the ability to pick out long balls towards forward runners is something that would attract any team.
Furthermore, his experience in the Europa League, Champions League and even the MOL Cup will help Newcastle United. But with Fulham in the race, things could get complicated. The Cottagers have been the worst defensive team in the Premier League by some margin and are on par to concede the highest number of goals ever in a league season.
That means that Claudio Ranieri and company will be charging behind the Magpies in the race to try and find budget-friendly options to add to their ever-growing list of stars. However, this simply adds to Newcastle’s pressure and they need to make sure, that before the January deadline day – Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui is a part of the Toon Army. Otherwise, they will have a tough time staying in the Premier League this season, let alone flourishing next season.
The fact that they’ll in all likelihood lose a world class manager in Rafael Benitez if they do get relegated – further adds to their problems. Hence, despite their current ‘financial state’, Newcastle United need to win the race for Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, and given that his release clause is only £4million, it’s at an affordable valuation.
