Rafael Benitez was finally able to get his man at the end of the January transfer window after Newcastle United signed Miguel Almiron from Atlanta United.

According to the player's agent, however, things could have so easily gone down a different way with other parties having also been interested in the Paraguayan playmaker.

The Breakdown

"Manchester United was interested in Miguel Almiron," Daniel Campo, the agent of Almiron, recently told ParaguayTVHD (via Chronicle Live) before going on to explain what kind of player Newcastle have signed. "He does not like to go out, he is a boy who likes to be at home, Miguel is a boy who has an impeccable conduct."

Newcastle's signing of Almiron was already a good one with Benitez's squad severely lacking quality attacking options but now, after Campo's words, it looks like an even better one.

If Manchester United's interest in Almiron really was genuine, then Mike Ashley has made a real statement by landing the 25-year-old, and that should delight supporters.

It is a show of the club's pulling power when Ashley actually does decide to spend money instead of being so tight and, as long as a coach of Benitez's stature is at the helm, there is no reason why more signings like Almiron cannot follow.

In more ways than one, the signing of Almiron is a victory for both Benitez and the Newcastle faithful.