‘He’s all over the place’: BBC pundit criticises Newcastle target’s Europa League final display

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Newcastle United want Evan Ndicka but the Eintracht Frankfurt defender has been criticised for his performance against Rangers.

Newcastle have comfortably secured Premier League status for another year with their January signings absolutely vital.

Centre back Dan Burn certainly helped bring leadership at the back and should remain a key player moving forward.

Newcastle may still target another new centre back this summer though and Ndicka is one name being linked.

Newcastle United want Evan Ndicka

Reports from Sport Bild earlier this week suggested that Ndicka is on Newcastle’s wish list.

The Magpies are understood to have scouted Ndicka during Frankfurt’s semi-final second leg win over West Ham United.

The French talent, 22, is a huge presence at 6ft 4in tall but he also has very impressive pace.

Naturally left-footed, signing Ndicka would mean pairing him up with another left-footer in January signing Burn.

It’s not often you see left-footed pairings at centre back but maybe Eddie Howe just wants as much talent as possible.

Newcastle will have surely watched Ndicka on Wednesday night as he faced Rangers in the Europa League final.

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in Seville but Frankfurt ran out winners in the penalty shootout.

Ndicka will be in celebratory mood today having won a major trophy but his performance has actually come in for criticism.

Former Rangers ace and England international Mark Hateley was covering the Europa League final for BBC Sport.

At half-time, Hateley suggested that Ndicka was ‘all over the place’ whenever he had the ball at his feet.

Hateley was urging Rangers to attack Ndicka and try and get him on the ball, suggesting that he just didn’t want it at all.

“I think if Rangers get the ball in and around Ndicka’s feet, he’s all over the place,” said Hateley. “He doesn’t want the ball,” he added.

That may be something for Newcastle to consider given that Howe would like to play out from the back moving forward, with Ndicka showing some deficiencies on Wednesday night.