Newcastle United have been linked with a surprise move for Leicester City’s Wes Morgan, who is a former club-mate of Jamaal Lascelles.
Newcastle United’s Jamaal Lascelles may have a new positional rival this summer
Despite playing a crucial role in Newcastle’s promotion charge, Jamaal Lascelles appears to be facing a battle trying to prove that he should be the Magpies’ first choice centre-back next season with The Sun suggesting earlier in the month that Leicester’s Wes Morgan is Rafa Benitez’s top defensive target this summer.
There appears to be a general acceptance amongst most Newcastle fans that Ciaran Clark was the club’s best centre-back during their title-winning campaign, so it would hardly be a surprise if it is Lascelles who stands to suffer more if the Foxes captain arrives at St James’ Park this summer.
Interestingly, it is not the first time that Morgan and Lascelles have crossed paths.
Back in January 2012, Morgan was making the last of his 352 league appearances for Nottingham Forest in a 2-1 defeat to West Ham. By the time Forest took on Burnley on the final day of the same month, Morgan had joined Leicester, leaving a void in the club’s defence.
Leicester City’s Wes Morgan has been linked with a move to Newcastle
One of the men that came into the defence for that game was Lascelles, making his professional debut for the City Ground outfit in the process.
So could Morgan now potentially be about to displace the man who seemingly received his first taste of professional football due to the former’s departure the previous day?
Of course, while it may prove frustrating for Lascelles if that proves to be the case, Benitez will be hoping that the 23-year-old working alongside Morgan again will help him take his game to the next level.
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez
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