Newcastle United are reportedly keen on signing the Stoke City man.
According to French media outlet RMC, Newcastle have been keeping tabs on Stoke City midfielder Giannelli Imbula, but the 25-year-old’s struggles in the Premier League since making his £18.3 million move to England in February 2016 should serve as a major warning for the Magpies.
Rafa Benitez is rumoured to be keen on bolstering his central midfield options at St James’ Park this summer, but Imbula’s failure to establish himself with the Potters makes the Toon’s reported interest in his signature seem rather strange to say the least.
The French national is a deep-lying central midfielder by trade, but he proved to be way off the pace during his time with Stoke, and didn’t seem to relish the physical battle that is symptomatic of the Premier League.
Love Island World Cup: If EVERY contestant was a 2018 World Cup team
He made just 28 appearances for Stoke, before being farmed out on a season long loan to Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse in the summer of 2017.
Newcastle need to bring in a midfielder who is either ready made for the Premier League, or someone with such outstanding potential that it would be worth taking a punt on them, and unfortunately for Imbula, he fails to meet either of those two categories.
This summer will be a vitally important one for Rafa Benitez, and bringing in the former Marseille man would be a terrible way for the Spaniard to kick off his transfer business.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
