Newcastle United should offer Sofiane Boufal a route out of Southampton. Could he be the next Hatem Ben Arfa at St James’ Park?
Newcastle United are looking to bolster their attack this summer ahead of loftier ambitions next term, and Sofiane Boufal could be a shrewd bit of business at St James’ Park.
Rafa Benitez’s side were overly reliant on the likes of Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Perez in the final third last season and struggled with creativity prior to the arrival of Chelsea’s Kenedy in January.
And now, with Kenedy looking likely to return to Stamford Bridge this summer, Benitez must ensure his late impact is replaced. One player that would offer an instant boost in creativity in Southampton’s Sofiane Boufal.
The Moroccan had a mixed start to life in England, bagging just two goals and two assists, after big expectations upon his arrival from Lille in Ligue 1. But he has shown glimpses of elite quality, notably scoring the Premier League goal of the season against West Brom in October.
Creativity and unpredictability took a back-seat for Mark Hughes upon his arrival in March, as he looked for consistent performers to get the Saints out of trouble, and it is safe to say that is not the 24-year-old’s strong suit.
As a result he fell down the pecking order at St Mary’s and was even involved in a bust up with the manager, according to the Daily Echo.
However, Newcastle are in serious need of a spontaneous, unpredictable forward and Boufal fits the bill perfectly.
His style is reminiscent of Magpies cult hero Hatem Ben Arfa, as both use their balance and tricky footwork to breeze past defenders almost at will, and Newcastle fans would certainly welcome his talent on Tyneside.
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