Achraf Lazaar has been left out of Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United Premier League squad but is he heading to Serie A alongside Franck Ribery.
Achraf Lazaar could go from being Newcastle United’s forgotten man to Franck Ribery’s new left-wing partner.
According to the Chronicle, the forgotten man of St James’ Park could be on his way out of Tyneside after being omitted from Steve Bruce’s 25-man Premier League squad. But Fiorentina could come to his rescue with La Viola one of three clubs, alongside Utrecht and Hellas Verona, who are expressing an interest.
Lazaar has played just 37 minutes of league football in Newcastle colours since he arrived from Palermo three years ago for £2.3 million, as reported by the Chronicle.
But a return to Italy with Fiorentina could be exactly what the left-back needs to kick-start a career that stalled as soon as he stepped off the plane in the North East of England. And the fact that the legendary Ribery will be playing his football at the Stadio Artemio Franchi next season surely won’t have passed Lazaar by.
After winning nine Bundesliga titles at Bayern Munich, the 36-year-old stunned all of Italy by pulling on that famous purple shirt. Ribery’s arrival is a real statement of intent from a side who slumped to a dismal 16th place finish under Vincenzo Montella last season.
“I want to give something new to this club, I want to bring Fiorentina into the top three of the table,” the evergreen Frenchman told Goal.
Ribery is likely to slot straight in on the left-hand side of Montella’s attack. And he could have Lazaar for company on the flank.
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