Alan Judge could be the next arrival at St James’ Park.
Brentford midfielder Alan Judge could be Rafael Benitez’s next signing at Newcastle.
According to the Chronicle, the 27-year-old is on his way to Tyneside to discuss a possible switch from red and white to black and white.
Judge has been out with a broken leg since April, which ruled him out of Euro 2016 with Republic of Ireland, but could return before November as he enters the final year of his contract at Griffin Park.
Newcastle have spent a lot of the summer looking to add attackers to their squad, having already signed Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie, both of whom have impressed in the early stages of the season.
It has been no secret that Benitez wants to add another winger, with bids for Brighton’s Anthony Knockaert rejected earlier in the window.
Benitez has looked at players who are tried and tested at Championship level as he looks to get Newcastle back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and Judge is certainly one of those players.
| Team | Appearances (2014/15 and 2015/16) | Goals | Assists | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Judge | Brentford | 77 | 17 | 24 |
As well as a loan spell at Brentford during their time in League One, Judge has been an instrumental figure since his permanent move to the Championship club in 2014, either scoring or creating a goal in every other game.
Judge’s creativity and goal scoring threat is exactly what Benitez needs to add to his side, and will ensure that Newcastle have creative sparks on each wing, with Ritchie occupying the other.
| Team | Appearances (2014/15) | Goals | Assists | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Ritchie | Bournemouth | 46 | 15 | 17 |
The former Bournemouth winger’s Championship stats, along with Judge’s, shows just how menacing a force Newcastle can become with those two wide men. With 43 Championship assists between them over two seasons, their service could be the catalyst to get Aleksandar Mitrovic’s Newcastle career going, who scored nine during his first year at St James’ Park.
Judge is a flair player who has shown he can shine at Championship level, and will take the pressure off Ritchie, who was the creative force behind Newcastle’s first win of the season against Reading last week.
Benitez’s black and white jigsaw is slowly coming together, and Alan Judge could be the final piece.
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