Rafa Benitez wants a new left-back at St James’ Park and Newcastle United have been tipped to raid Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and Chelsea.
Newcastle United fans were dreaming of a David Luiz, a Daniel Sturridge or even a Danny Ings this month.
But with Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk podcast stating that potential loan deals for the trio are all likely to be scuppered by expensive wage demands, it seems that the Magpies have turned their attention instead to a deeply underwhelming temporary deal.
As reported by talkSPORT on the Weekend Breakfast (broadcast 6 January, 7:00am), Newcastle have entered talks with Crystal Palace over the signing of left-back Pape Souare for the remainder of the season.
Rafa Benitez is clearly crying out of reinforcements in what has become a problem position this season, Paul Dummett’s hamstring injury on the opening day exposing Newcastle’s lack of a natural back-up.
But signing Souare, who has not played a league game all season for relegation rivals Palace, is not exactly the sort of addition that betrays a great deal of ambition.
Then again, it appears that Souare is not even Newcastle’s first-choice left-back target. The Chronicle states that Benitez tried to put his relations with former club Chelsea to good use in the summer but a deal to land the versatile Kenedy fell through as the Premier League champions failed to sign a replacement.
The Chronicle states that Newcastle are again keen on the Brazilian, although once again the deal is dependent on whether or not Antonio Conte will bring in reinforcements in Kenedy’s place.
As of yet, however, it appears that Chelsea are no closer to announcing a new signing this month, meaning a deal for Kenedy is at risk of falling through for the second successive transfer window.
So does this explain why Newcastle appear to have made a rather tentative enquiry for Crystal Palace’s forgotten man?
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