Newcastle’s Achraf Lazaar claims he rejected a move to Fiorentina.
Achraf Lazaar in action against Roma
Newcastle United left back Achraf Lazaar has told Tutto Mercato Web that he chose the Magpies over Serie A giants Fiorentina.
The Magpies suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers today, with Rafael Benitez’s winning run ending at five games this afternoon.
Even after Newcastle’s defeat today, they are in second place in the Championship, and are the favourites to win the title after a summer of spending.
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez
Whilst proven players in English football like Ciaran Clark, Grant Hanley, Mohamed Diame, Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle arrived, Benitez also looked to the foreign market for reinforcements – and Achraf Lazaar was a particularly interesting signing.
The 24-year-old had been a regular for Serie A side Palermo following a 2014 move from Varese, racking up more than 70 appearances for the Sicilian side.
Achraf Lazaar in action with Juventus star Sami Khedira
His displays in Italy clearly attracted great interest, and it was Newcastle who snapped him up before the transfer deadline, with Sky Sports claiming that the Magpies paid £2m to land his signature.
Lazaar has yet to make his Newcastle debut, and the Moroccan international has now revealed to Tutto Mercato Web that he actually turned down a huge move in favour of Newcastle.
General view of the top of the Stadium
Lazaar claims that Fiorentina – who sold their left back Marcos Alonso to Chelsea last month – wanted to sign him and keep him in Italy, offering him Europa League football in the process, but he turned them down as he wants to play in England, where he thinks Newcastle can become a great team in the future, should they get back to the Premier League.
“I had to choose between Newcastle and Fiorentina,” said Lazaar. “Fiorentina are a great club, but my head and my family told me to go to Newcastle. England has always been my dream, then Newcastle should go up to the Premier League and have everything to be great,” he added.
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