Rafael Benitez plucked Florian Lejeune from Spanish club Eibar for Newcastle United’s return to the Premier League.
HITC are using the international break to analyse who has been worth every penny, and who has been a waste of money.
Here we take a closer look at Newcastle United’s capture from La Liga club Eibar, Florian Lejeune.
Lejeune learned immediately the extra physicality of the English game when a tackle from Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane forced him off injured 34 minutes into his Premier League debut in August.
The Frenchman did not return from his ankle injury for two months but has bravely shaken off this early setback – and a failed season at Manchester City – to settle into life on Tyneside with great confidence.
As one might expect from a defender who has mostly been schooled in Spain, Lejeune is very composed on the ball and can pick a pass out from the back. His stylish method is quickly winning over the Toon Army.
The cultured Lejeune alongside the English warriror that is Jamaal Lascelles is a partnership which has a lot of potential, and Rafael Benitez will rely heavily on the pair as he builds his teams on solid foundations.
Since coming back from injury, Lejeune has yet to face the test of a leading Premier League attack, and we will learn more about his pace and strength when Newcastle visit Romelu Lukaku and Manchester United next weekend.
But, based on his brief time at Newcastle so far, he appears more Philippe Albert than Jean-Alain Boumsong.
Grade: B-
SEE MORE:
Grading Newcastle’s summer signings – Christian Atsu
Grading Newcastle’s summer signings – Manquillo & Murphy
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