Newcastle transfer news: Magpies willing to sell Javi Manquillo this summer

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Newcastle United are reportedly willing to sell Javi Manquillo this summer.

That’s according to the Northern Echo, who state that Eddie Howe will listen to offers for the 28-year-old defender.

The Spaniard is yet to really be seen since last season. He missed every single minute of pre-season due to injury. While Howe put his players through their paces in Austria and Portugal, Manquillo was getting treatment in Spain.

He returned to full training recently, but wasn’t named on the bench for Saturday’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

That leaves his position at St James’ Park in jeopardy, and his Toon career could potentially be coming to an end.

The right time to sell Javi Manquillo

While Manquillo has been a good player for Newcastle, it feels like he is no longer required on Tyneside.

He was signed in 2017 by Rafa Benitez on the back of a pretty poor season with rivals Sunderland, and it took him time to prove his worth.

He did eventually do that, with Manquillo acting as a dependable full-back on either side of the pitch, whether it was a back four or a back five.

The former Liverpool ace became very reliable in a black and white shirt, and was described as ‘terrific‘ by previous manager Steve Bruce.

However, his influence has waned in 2022 – largely down to injury and the performances of others.

Kieran Trippier arrived in January and quickly established himself as the club’s first-choice right-back. That was no surprise given his reputation.

Manquillo then had a route back into the team when Trippier was struck down by injury. However, he was ruled out on the same day – the 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in February.

That created an opening for Emil Krafth, and he took it with both hands. The super Swede had a sensational end to the season. His performances earned him a new contract, and he is the undisputed backup option to Trippier.

It leaves Manquillo as third choice right-back, and he’s potentially even further down the pecking order on the left too. With his minutes set to be limited, it could be a good time for Newcastle and Manquillo to part ways.