Newcastle United may want to bolster their full-back options at the end of the season after their first year back in the Premier League.
Yedlin has been the Magpies’ first-choice in that area of the pitch for much of the campaign. The United States international has made 31 Premier League appearances for Rafa Benitez’s side and generally performed well to help the team ensure that they will be playing top flight football once again next year.
The Chronicle reports that Jesus Gamez is set to leave in the summer, while Javier Manquillo has been used more often on the left-hand side of the back four. But Yedlin suggested that he would be all for Benitez targeting another right-back in the upcoming window, even if that may leave a slight question mark on his position in the side.
“I always welcome competition. Without competition you can get too comfortable and when you get comfortable you can relax and your performance goes down – at least with me. Some players may be different but for me, that’s how I am. I love competition. That’s the only way to improve your competition,” he told the Chronicle.
It is undoubtedly an extremely positive attitude to have. Yedlin would be forgiven for feeling slightly complacent about his position, but he clearly feels that having another rival could be what pushes him on to realise his full potential and ensure that he continues to perform.
Newcastle will arguably need that mentality across the entire squad if they are to ensure that they build on what has turned out to be an incredibly promising year for the Magpies.
Benitez’s men could well secure a comfortable top-half finish this term, but it must not be forgotten that they spent much of the campaign hovering around the bottom three. Assuming that they can replicate their current position next year without significant additions would surely be a huge mistake.
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