Newcastle United fans in the Transfer Tavern haven’t had too many reasons to order a bottle of bubbly yet this season.
With the Magpies languishing just outside of the relegation zone, it looks like it could be another season of frustration and under achievement for the Toon Army to suffer through.
However, in recent weeks, Steve McLaren’s talented squad has started to show a bit more potential. They have taken 7 points in their last 12, and suffered a 3-0 defeat to Sunderland in that period in what were very unfortunate circumstances.
In fact, an interesting point was raised by one Newcastle fan, who begged the question as to why Newcastle could be where they were in the table, despite the obvious capabilities of their squad.
Indeed, on paper, Newcastle’s side is not half bad, but they seem to under-perform a lot on the pitch.
Below, we picked out five players in their squad who were Champions League quality, and were more than capable of being in Europe’s elite competition.
Hit McClaren below to see FIVE members of his squad that should be playing in the Champions League!
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Tim Krul
The Dutch stopper is currently out for the season with a knee injury, but he is arguably the most underrated goalkeeper in the division.
Time and time again Krul has pulled Newcastle out of the mire, and unless Newcastle United step up their game, they could soon lose him once he has made a full recovery.
Georginio Wijnaldum
Since his arrival from PSV, Wijnaldum has been a bright spark in an otherwise flat Newcastle side.
A highlight of his obvious quality was his four goals against Norwich City, though he has often been a strong point of the Magpies’ attack.
If Newcastle do not improve quickly, Wijnaldum will be seeking a return to Champions League football, and he should find plenty of suitors.
Moussa Sissoko
Sissoko will also not be at Newcastle for much longer if they fail to make Europe soon. Many thought Mike Ashley may sell the Frenchman last January, but he remains put for now.
Sissoko’s dynamic displays for Newcastle could see him attract interest for a Premier League club, though he has had a slow start by his standards.
Ayoze Perez
Perez has recently been attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, both who could look to bolster their attacks.
Perez is still relatively young, and despite his lack of experience has shown plenty of quality since arriving from Tenerife.
Perez recently scored against Bournemouth, but with January fast approaching, could soon find himself the subject of several bids.
Aleksandar Mitrovic
Mitrovic arrived this summer as Newcastle’s star forward, and despite a slow start that culminated in a silly red-card against Arsenal, he has seemed to form a decent partnership with Ayoze Perez.
Mitrovic is unlikely to leave Newcastle any time soon, but given his young age, could show his potential if he settles into Premier League football sooner rather than later.
