Newcastle’s left-back woes are set to worsen in the summer.
One of Newcastle United’s main priorities in the January transfer window was to sign a new left-back, and although Chelsea loanee Kenedy has been playing on the wing, he does give Rafa Benitez cover on the left side of defence.
But the Toon will need to re-enter the summer market for a new left-back if things remain as they are, with Paul Dummett and Massadio Haidara’s contracts at St. James’ Park set to expire in the summer.
Haidara is an outcast under Benitez and he is expected to leave, but Wales international Dummett has been a regular in the Newcastle side since returning from a hamstring injury towards the end of 2017.
Dummett, who reportedly earns £20,000 a week at Newcastle according to the Daily Star, has made eight Premier League appearances this season and has quickly re-established himself as first choice on Tyneside.
But with a new deal seemingly not in the pipeline, and with Kenedy only on loan until the summer, the Toon need a left-back that owner Mike Ashley will be willing to sanction a move for.
That being said, the freebie market should be considered and a move for former Newcastle full-back Davide Santon would finally put an end to Benitez’s woes on the left side of defence.
Santon, 27, is out of contract with current club Inter Milan, who signed the eight-time Italy international from the Serie A giants in July 2015 after a loan spell throughout 2014-15 proved successful.
The former Cesena loanee came up the ranks at Inter before joining Newcastle, and his defensive rigidity as well as the Italian’s willingness to get forward makes him the perfect full-back for Benitez.
Benitez will have worked with Santon at Inter during the Spaniard’s short spell as manager in 2010. All factors point to a Newcastle return for Santon, who is unlikely to receive a new Inter deal after featuring just 10 times this season.
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