Dan Burn joining Newcastle puts Jamaal Lascelles under huge pressure

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Newcastle United have finally signed a centre-back, bringing in Dan Burn from Brighton.

The 29-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with his boyhood club, costing the Magpies £13million.

At the start of January, it was clear that we needed a centre-back – it was our number one priority.

Yet it took us until deadline day to finally bring one in, and it’s a name fans probably didn’t expect to see arrive at St James’ Park.

But Burn is back in the North East, signing with the club that let him go when he was just 11-years-old.

It will be an emotional comeback for Burn, and a signing that will put one his new Magpies teammates under huge pressure.

Jamaal Lascelles could lose his place in Newcastle starting XI to Dan Burn

Considering how desperate Newcastle were for a centre-back, you have to imagine that Eddie Howe plans to put Burn straight into his starting XI. But whose place does he take?

Howe’s favoured duo has been Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar. However, the former picked up an injury in our previous game against Leeds.

The Toon captain did feature in the friendly against Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, coming off the bench in the 2-1 win. Kieran Trippier started the game as skipper.

Lascelles’ recent form hasn’t been brilliant, leading to his place in the starting XI to be questioned by supporters. In contrast, Schar was fantastic against Leeds.

Howe likes his centre-backs to be decent in possession, which Schar certainly is – and so is Burn. However, Lascelles is far from comfortable at playing out from the back.

So on the face of it, the 2014 signing’s place in the team could be in jeopardy.

Another leader in Trippier has emerged. And now a potential improvement at centre-back has arrived too. Suddenly the captain’s place in the team is no longer a guarantee. The pressure is on for Lascelles to step up.