Newcastle defender Haidara made his first appearance of the season on Sunday.
Newcastle United defender Massadio Haidara has posted a defiant message on Instagram after making his first Toon appearance of the season on Sunday afternoon.
Haidara, 25, started at left-back in his first competitive outing of 2017-18 during the 3-0 defeat to Premier League champions Chelsea, as a Marcos Alonso strike and a brace from Michy Batshuayi knocked the Toon out of the cup.
Frenchman Haidara plummeted down the pecking order at St. James’ Park prior to last season as he suffered a long-term injury. Paul Dummett, Javier Manquillo and new signing Kenedy are above him in the pecking order.
In what could have been a way of putting him in the shop window by Rafa Benitez, Haidara impressed on Sunday and saw out the entire 90 minutes. Haidara posted “I still believe” on Instagram, though, in an obstinate message to Benitez.
Haidara joined Newcastle from French side Nancy but has managed just 53 appearances in five years on Tyneside, and is now in the final months of a contract worth £20,000 a week according to the Daily Star.
Earlier this month, it was claimed that Haidara was interesting Dutch outfit FC Utrecht but it remains to be seen if any interested parties will look to land the defender before Wednesday’s deadline.
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