The Middlesbrough ace would be a fantastic signing for Newcastle United.
The Magpies enjoyed a tremendously successful campaign in the Championship last term – one that culminated in their promotion to the Premier League, but Rafa Benitez will be under no illusions at the size of the task ahead of him.
The majority of games last season saw Newcastle control possession for large chunks of the 90 minutes, and that will obviously change this term, with the standard of opposition increasing ten-fold.
With this in mind, the addition of a disciplined central midfielder will surely feature highly on the Spaniard’s wish-list, and who better than Middlesbrough’s exit linked star Marten de Roon.
Middlesbrough’s Marten de Roon celebrates
The Dutchman has been linked with a shock move to Manchester United already this summer, according to Italian media outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, and Newcastle should seriously consider joining the race.
The 26-year-old would be the ideal addition to Benitez’ squad this summer, and his presence in the middle of the park would provide the Magpies’ more creative midfielders with the license to express themselves in the final third.
De Roon is extremely disciplined from a tactical perspective, but is also wonderfully accomplished with the ball at his feet, and possesses a wide array of passing skills.
He would be the ideal central midfield partner for Jonjo Shelvey, and the pair’s attributes would complement each other perfectly.
One potential stumbling block, however, could be Boro’s reluctance to sell to their north-east rivals, but with Newcastle’s far greater financial power, they could surely come up with a package that would tempt the Teessiders into selling.
And if Rafa manages to bring De Roon to St James’ Park this summer, it could turn out to be a signing of real significance for the Magpies.
Middlesbrough’s Marten de Roon in action
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