According to reports from The Chronicle, Newcastle United are set to hold talks with Atlanta United next week over the availability of midfielder Miguel Almiron.
Newcastle’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson will reportedly be sent to the United States in the coming days to meet with the MLS club and Almiron’s agent.
The Paraguayan playmaker is being watched by several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Spurs.
However Newcastle now look keen to make their intentions known, and hope to see off any competition for the midfielder. The upcoming talks will aim to find out what it would take to bring the number 10 to Tyneside in January.
Almiron is set to star in the MLS Cup Final next week and has been one of the league’s stand out players.
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But with an asking fee of £25 million, the Toon will have to break transfer records to sign him.
Naturally, this has led to speculation from Newcastle supporters. While some are worried the attacker isn’t worth the asking price, others simply think the deal wont go through.
Fans react to Almiron talks
Is Almiron worth the price?
It’s still a concern of most supporters whether Almiron can adapt to the Premier League. While undoubtedly a pacey and talented player, he clearly lacks physical strength.
There is also the fear he has yet to play in a demanding league.
Older European players continue to wind down their careers in the States, bringing up question marks over the quality of the MLS. When David Villa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are still scoring for fun out there, ages 36 and 37 respectively, you can see why some Newcastle fans aren’t convinced.
Despite this, the Magpies are in desperate need of a player like Almiron.
Newcastle currently have no attacking midfielders, and creativity has been lacklustre this season as a result.
Even if Almiron struggles physically in England, having someone who can make that final pass will be a huge asset.
But his asking price is extraordinarily high for a player unproven in Europe. Newcastle will be hoping to drive the transfer price down in meetings next week, otherwise a deal will be unlikely.
