Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo wants to stay in England after a loan spell at Middlesbrough – would Newcastle be a good fit?
Middlesbrough’s Alvaro Negredo celebrates scoring their first goal
Alvaro Negredo looks set to leave Valencia this summer after returning to the club following a one-year loan spell with Middlesbrough.
The striker could not stop Boro getting relegated from the Premier League, but clearly did enough to catch the eye of a number of clubs, with the Gazette reporting Galatasaray and AEK Athens have already shown interest.
Middlesbrough’s Alvaro Negredo shoots at goal
However, Negredo – who scored ten goals in 39 appearances in 2016/17 – apparently wants to stay in England’s top flight, a competition that he has won before while with Manchester City.
“The goal is to continue competing in a top league in Europe, and the Premier League remains the preference,” the 31-year-old’s representative, Juanma Lopez, was quoted by Spanish publication Fichajes.
According to the Sun, West Bromwich Albion are interested in signing the Spaniard, but should newly promoted Newcastle United consider keeping Negredo in the North East?
Middlesbrough’s Alvaro Negredo celebrates scoring their second goal
Magpies manager Rafael Benitez is a known admirer of the 31-year-old, telling the Independent back in 2013 that the forward, then at City, was one of the most underrated players in the Premier League.
And despite failing to truly assert himself at the Etihad Stadium, 23 goals in 49 appearances for the Citizens was a solid return. In fact Negredo’s goal-scoring record has been good wherever he has played, even for a Boro side who were the lowest scorers in the division last season.
The Spain international – who also has ten strikes in 21 caps for his national team – could well be the experienced presence in attack that Newcastle need as Benitez looks to strengthen his squad ahead of a return to the top tier.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez
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