What did Newcastle linked Josef Martinez say about Miguel Almiron?

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Could Premier League outfit Newcastle United get Atlanta United’s MLS Cup winning dream team back together?

Miguel Almiron looks lost at Newcastle United.

15 games, no goals and no assists; those are not exactly the results Newcastle expected when they invested £20 million in an electrifying attacking talent who had blossomed into arguably the most influential footballer on the other side of the Atlantic.

But The Magpies have hatched a plan, a potentially expensive one at that, as they look to release Almiron from the shackles and re-awaken a Paraguayan dragon whose stunning turn of pace and eye for the spectacular inspired Atlanta United to their first ever MLS Cup last autumn.

According to The Chronicle, Newcastle could return to the Mercedes Benz Stadium 12 months on to sign the man who replaced Almiron as Atlanta’s talisman – Josef Martinez.

A quick glimpse at the stats tells you almost all you need to know about a forward who is in the form of his life. In 78 MLS games, Martinez has scored 71 goals. He’s also found the net in 15 consecutive games with Lionel Messi’s world-record streak (which stands at a staggering 21) in his sights.

But it was his partnership with Almiron, before his January exit, which helped establish Martinez as the most thrilling attacking talent in Major League Soccer.

“It’s been a special week for me,” the former Torino attacker told ESPN in December. “Before the game, I had a moment with Miguel, and I just thanked him for all of the help that he’s given me over these two seasons. I told him that he was going to make me a champion today.

“I had never been a champion before, so I want to thank him for that.”

Hours later, Martinez was a ‘champion’ for the first time. Thanks to a Man of the Match performance from Almiron, Atlanta beat Portland Timbers 2-0 in the MLS Cup final.

And who knows? If Almiron and Martinez reunite on Tyneside and terrorise Premier League defenders like they did across the ocean, who’s to say glory won’t be on its way to Newcastle too?