Javier Manquillo has struggled at Newcastle since his move to SJP last summer.
Javier Manquillo looked to have finally found his perfect home at Newcastle United during the first half of the season, as he became a regular in Rafa Benitez’s side. Fast forward until the end of the season, and it is a different story.
The 24-year-old increased the Spanish contingent on Tyneside last summer after Rafa Benitez decided to land the versatile full-back from Atletico Madrid for £4.5million (The Sun), after spells with Sunderland and Liverpool.
He was used as a first-choice right-back, and then left-back following the long-term hamstring injury suffered by Paul Dummett. But it all fell apart midway through the season.
In 2018, Manquillo has clocked up just 229 minutes of Premier League action, and now his place on Tyneside could be under threat with Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb claiming the Toon are interested in Torino right-back Lorenzo Di Silvestri.
A six-time Italy international, 30-year-old Di Silvestri enjoyed arguably the best season of his career during 2017-18, as he scored seven goals and added four assists from the right side of defence.
The Toon are said to be keen to bring the right-back to St. James’ Park this summer, though they do face competition from Claude Puel’s Leicester City, if the report is to be believed.
Manquillo’s signing was met with doubt by Toon fans and they were right to question the move, but signing De Silvestri would be a huge improvement on the Spaniard. Indeed, he is twice the player of Manquillo.
If Newcastle do indeed sign De Silvestri, then there is simply no place in the side for Manquillo with USA international DeAndre Yedlin considered the club’s first-choice right-back.
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