Why Newcastle United should avoid a move for Cengiz Under

According to Inside Futbol (h/t The Sun), Newcastle United are interested in signing Roma star Cengiz Under this summer.

The report suggests that the Italian outfit are willing to sell him permanently for £23m but he Magpies want him only on a loan spell. However, he was earlier linked with a move to Manchester United, and Leicester City are also plotting a move for the Turkish international, as per the report.

Profile

Born in Turkey, Under came through the ranks of Bucaspor’s youth system and joined Altinordu’s U16 side in 2013. He went on to make 58 appearances for Altinordu before joining Istanbul Basaksehir in 2016. He impressed with 9 goals and 7 assists in 43 games.

He was picked up by Roma the following summer and he immediately established himself as a regular member of the squad. His time in Italy got off to a brilliant start but later on, injuries hampered his progress. Under has fallen down the pecking order and managed to make just 10 league starts last season.

Under could be surplus to Newcastle’s requirements

Steve Bruce’s side got off to a good start in the new campaign as they beat West Ham 2-0 with goals from new signings Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendricks. The Magpies managed to get a few quality players in the transfer window and look set for a new challenge.

At the moment, they have plenty of options in the wide areas. Allan Saint-Maximin has been brilliant for the Magpies since his arrival and they have also brought in Ryan Fraser to bolster the attack. Apart from that, they also have Christian Atsu and Jacob Murphy. The latter had an excellent loan spell last season. Thus, making a move for Under seems unnecessary.

The 23-year-old may be a bright talent but given Newcastle’s depth in the wide areas, he could be surplus to their requirements. He has also not featured regularly in recent times and nothing can be said of the youngster’s consistency.

Given Fraser’s arrival and Murphy’s return, the Magpies should avoid a move for Under. Fraser has been brilliant in the Premier League over the past few years. And the manager should make use of Murphy, who was in sensational form last season in the Championship.

Read more

• Why Newcastle United loaning out Florian Lejeune would be a smart move

• Why Newcastle United should complete a loan deal for Eddie Nketiah

Verdict

With plenty of options in the wide areas, it would be unnecessary for Newcastle to bring in another winger. And Under has also not been at his best so far. Thus, they should keep their eyes off the Turkish international and instead look to strengthen other key areas this summer.