Achraf Lazaar’s time at Newcastle United was far from memorable.
He was one of Rafael Benitez’s first summer signings after Newcastle were relegated to the Championship in 2016.
The Morrocan signed a five-year deal for the Magpies from Serie A side Palermo and was given the number seven shirt which had been held by Moussa Sissoko who signed for Tottenham Hotspur.
Lazaar made his Newcastle debut in August 2016 when he started in the Magpies’ Carabao Cup win against Wolves at St James’ Park. He would have to wait another two months to make his first appearance in the Championship, coming on as a late substitute against Brentford.
In the Championship season, Lazaar only made four appearances as Newcastle went on to gain promotion back to the Premier League.
From there, Lazaar spent his days training with the reserves as he fell completely out of favour with Benitez. Lazaar was loaned out to Benevento for the 2017/18 season where he only made nine appearances.
Two more loan stints to Sheffield Wednesday and Cozensa followed. In 2020, Lazaar played a pre-season friendly against Wolves under Steve Bruce but was deemed to have played “poorly.” In 2021, Lazaar finally departed Newcastle after four-and-a-half disastrous years at the club.
Newcastle fans admitted they “felt bad” for Lazaar, others believed he was one of the worst signings in the club’s history.
During his first loan spell in 2017, Lazaar opened up on his move to Newcastle. His feelings towards Rafael Benitez were incredibly bitter.
Achraf Lazaar on his Newcastle United move
Lazaar struggled to make any lasting impression on the club due to his lack of appearances. Before signing in 2016, the left-back had confirmed that he actually had an offer to play for Serie A side Fiorentina before Benitez convinced him to move to Tyneside.
Speaking to Football Italia in 2017, Lazaar was asked about why his move to Newcastle failed.
“My signing for Benevento was the end of a nightmare,” Lazaar said.
“At Newcastle, I never played and over a whole year, Benitez never gave me an explanation. All he said was that I was a player more suited to Serie A or the Premier League, rather than the Championship.”
“It’s a shame because he really wanted me. I was about to sign for Fiorentina when he called me and told me to go to him.
“They were just words, what a disappointment.”
Some believe that Lazaar never got a fair runout at Newcastle, but his career after leaving says otherwise.
Lazaar’s career path after Newcastle departure
It is safe to say that Lazaar’s career has not been magnificent after leaving Newcastle. Soon after his departure, Lazaar signed for Watford who he helped get promoted back to the Premier League.
He would leave at the end of the season and went on trial at Reading before joining Portimonense on a two-year deal.
Again, things would not work out for him. He left the club upon the expiry of his contract and signed for Serie C club Novara for the 2022-23 season.
Lazaar made six appearances for the Italian side before being released. He would spend seven months without a club before signing for UAE side Al-Ittifaq in February 2024 and was loaned to Dubai City FC a day later.
In January 2025, 33-year-old Lazaar joined his sixth club since leaving Newcastle when he joined Australian Second Division side Preston Lions FC on a free transfer.
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