Newcastle United’s campaign hangs in the balance, the uncertainty cloaking the gateway back into European competition.
Fourth in the Premier League, two points behind sixth-place Nottingham Forest (who sit just outside a Champions League-qualifying spot), Eddie Howe’s Carabao Cup champions need to hold their nerve over the final few weeks, with fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton looming.
It’s a good position the Magpies hold, though, and Howe will be confident that he can get back into the big time and convince some exciting players to join the St. James’ Park cause.
Indeed, Newcastle have already put an offer on the table for one player searching for a way back into the Champions League.
Newcastle eyeing up new midfielder
Although Alexander Isak’s departure from St James’ Park this summer now looks unlikely, it hasn’t stopped a whole wave of new attackers being linked with a move.
Bryan Mbeumo is one hot topic in the Toon right now, with recent reports suggesting Newcastle ‘can afford’ to get a deal over the line if they were to push hard enough this summer.
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While strengthening in attack will be key, particularly if Howe’s men reach the Champions League, they must not neglect other areas.
According to Spanish reports, Newcastle have put a firm offer on the table for Girona midfielder Yangel Herrera, with the La Liga club open to the 27-year-old’s sale this summer.
Whether the proposal, worth about €25m (£21m), will be enough to convince Girona to part with Herrera remains to be seen, especially with Atletico Madrid and Nottingham Forest also keen on a deal.
What Yangel Herrera would bring to Newcastle
Howe likes his midfield to pack a punch. Bruno Guimaraes is silky, stylish and all the superlatives, but he’s also a combative little player, tenacious in the tackle.
Sandro Tonali also has a certain bite to his game, interspersing defensive efforts between the many long, stroking passes that define his style. According to Sofascore, he’s won 1.4 tackles per top-flight fixture this term, winning 54% of his ground duels.
Then there’s Joelinton. A raging bull of a midfielder, he’s a fantastic asset, so much energy and flair as he lopes around the pitch, winning duels, recovering loose balls and generally just menacing his opponents.
That’s not to negate his technical ability, of course, but it’s clear where Joelinton’s strengths lie. Such strengths are hard to replicate, but Newcastle could do just that with Herrera, who for the past three seasons has played for Girona, the first of which he was a loanee, sent out by Manchester City.
Like Joelinton, Herrera likes to get forward and score, ranking among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 13% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref. He also ranks among the top 9% for aerials won per 90. He’s been described as a “monster” of a player by Opta journalists Jamie Kemp and Robbie Dunne.
The Newcastle midfielder’s data follows a similar track. He ranks among the top 18% for goals, the top 9% for shots, the top 8% for touches in the box and the top 5% for aerial battles won per 90 (also FBref).
Such similarities have actually seen the stat-driven site record Joelinton as Herrera’s most comparable player, hardly that surprising after collating the two pieces of data.
Matches (starts)
29 (29)
26 (24)
Goals
4
4
Assists
3
3
Touches*
51
52.7
Pass completion
84%
84%
Key passes*
0.8
0.7
Dribbles*
0.5
0.7
Ball recoveries*
5.1
3.7
Tackles + interceptions*
2.8
3.3
Duels won*
5.7 (45%)
7.0
It’s curious that the players’ metrics are so closely aligned, and it’s more interesting still that Herrera actually outstrips Joelinton across defensive areas. The 27-year-old is a real La Liga menace, and one who could complete Newcastle’s midfield next season, blending that technique and combativeness that Howe likes so much.
With the Champions League on the cards once again, Newcastle have an attractive project which could convince the Girona man to jump ship.
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