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According to Sky Sports, Newcastle have finally agreed a deal with Atlanta United for midfielder Miguel Almiron, with the player potentially breaking the Magpies’ transfer record. However, the big-money signing may force Rafa Benitez to change his new-found, winning formula.
On the chalkboard
Sky Sports report that Almiron will command a £20m fee if the switch is completed before the transfer window slams shut on Thursday – an outlay exceeding the record £17m, as per BBC, shelled out to by the St James’ Park outfit for Michael Owen’s services in 2005 – as Mike Ashley finally loosens the white-knuckle grip on his wallet.
The Paraguayan has been sensational in the MLS, scoring 12 goals and teeing up a further 13 in just 32 league games in 2018, and his pace will be a huge asset to the Magpies, who are currently lacking counter-attacking threat.
However, if Benitez wants to get the best out of the 24-year-old – and you would assume he does – he may be forced to change what is beginning to look like a winning formula and thus risk sliding back down the table.
Rafa’s dilemma
What is the Spaniard’s big headache should Almiron cross the Atlantic, then? Well, the Tyneside club recorded an emphatic win over champions Manchester City on Tuesday night – surely to the delight of Liverpool fans all over – and they were outstanding from back to front, swamping Pep Guardiola’s men with a 5-4-1 formation.
However, the lack of room for a number 10 means that Almiron would have to be deployed as a winger – while the speedster has played there for Atlanta, he is far more dangerous playing centrally, behind the striker, as per Transfermarkt, where he would be able to feed off of Salomon Rondon’s hold-up play.
Taking three points from City is no easy feat and Rafa would be mad to retire the winning formula, and one that he has become accustomed to using in recent times anyway, although if he wants to avoid shoe-horning the new boy in, then he may have no choice.
