The Newcastle United fans in the Transfer Tavern are hoping their club will bring a new attacking midfielder to St James’ Park this summer to provide an alternative to Ayoze Perez next season.
Rafa Benitez placed plenty of trust in Perez last season in a number ten role, although his persistence was a matter of necessity rather than choice for the most-part. With little by way of back-up to call upon, Benitez continued to start Perez even when the technical Spaniard was struggling to make an impact in the final-third.
Benitez’s persistence eventually paid off as Perez played a key role in the Magpies’ survival bid towards the end of the season, but if Newcastle are to steer clear of trouble once again they will need to bolster their options in attack. With that in mind, Benitez should scout the market for a potential bargain signing or loan deal to emulate the success he enjoyed with Kenedy, and he may want to return to Stamford Bridge to sign a player who has fallen off the radar in the past twelve months, namely Ross Barkley.
Barkely completed his switch to Chelsea in the January transfer window despite failing to complete a single minute of competitive action in the first-half of the season, and so far he has spent the majority of his time with the Blues on the substitutes bench or the injury table.
And it now appears that Chelsea may be regretting their decision to sign Barkley, as TEAMtalk believe they are lining up a £30 million bid to prise Jack Grealish away from Aston Villa who are struggling in the midst of a crippling financial crisis.
The report claims that Villa are hoping to sell Grealish for a fee closer to £40 million, but in their current predicament they may be forced to accept a fee beneath their asking price.
If those reports prove to be true then it’s likely Barkley’s career with Chelsea could be reaching a premature end before it’s even begun, and Newcastle should take full advantage of his availability.
There’s no doubt that Barkley has talent in abundance, but he is the type of player who needs effective guidance from a mentor who can improve his understanding and decision-making, and Rafa Benitez more than fits the bill.
Chelsea will naturally be eager to sell Barkley permanently if they eventually lure Grealish to Stamford Bridge, but Benitez should adopt a stubborn approach and bring him to Tyneside on an initial loan deal with an option to buy to hand Barkley the chance to prove himself before committing to a long-term deal.
With power, creativity and incisive passing to bring to the table, Barkley is a raw talent simply waiting to be unearthed, and Benitez could well be the man to help the 24-year-old finally realise the full extent of his potential.
Newcastle fans – thoughts? Let us know below!
