Why Newcastle United should keep hold of Miguel Almiron amidst interest

Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron in the summer, as per Daniel Campos, the player’s representative (h/t The Shields Gazette).

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 Argentine 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 to the condition of the Premier League in the first few months. And he also struggled with a hamstring injury towards the end of last season.

However, this season, he has been a regular and has featured in all but one league game. Though the Magpies struggled for goals for the majority of the campaign, Almiron has done a decent job so far. And he has firmly established himself in Steve Bruce’s starting XI.

Newcastle lack depth in the wide areas

The Magpies have struggled for goals throughout the campaign. In the first 29 league games, they had managed just 25 goals. Summer signing Joelinton has failed to live up to the expectations. Other centre-forwards Dwight Gayle, Andy Carroll and Yoshinori Muto have failed to convince the manager for a regular start.

The attacking unit has not been up to the mark throughout the campaign. The Magpies have limited players in the wide areas. Allan Saint-Maximin and Christian Atsu are the only left-wingers available at the manager’s disposal. Whereas, on the right flank, they didn’t have anyone since Jacob Murphy was sent on loan to Sheffield Wednesday. And Almiron was deployed in the right flank.

The Paraguayan has been used in several areas including in the attacking midfield role and as a second striker and his versatility has helped them in some ways. In 37 games across all competitions, he has managed to rack up 7 goals and 2 assists and is one of the main players for Newcastle.

In the attacking midfield position, Henri Saivet hasn’t featured in a single game, and thus, keeping hold of Almiron would do them a world of good in the future.

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Verdict

At 26, Almiron has a lot more to offer at the biggest stage and Newcastle should be able to enjoy his best in the years to come. He has been lively for them since his arrival and could provide them with flair in the attack. Thus, they should exit any block for the Paraguayan and fend off interest from Atletico Madrid.