Tottenham Hotspur winger Lucas Moura has said he’s willing to leave the club for free in January, after Newcastle United failed in a deadline day swoop to sign him this summer.
That’s what the 30-year-old told Flow Sport Club on YouTube. Although he is waiting to hear from Spurs about his contract, the Brazilian is said to be willing to mutually terminate his deal if needs be.
Whilst it has been reported that he is contracted until the summer of 2024, the player has since confirmed his deal is set to expire at the end of the season.
As per reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, both the Magpies and Aston Villa made a late move on transfer deadline day to sign the out-of-favour Lilywhites man. However, the north London club ultimately decided to keep hold of the attacker.
Having failed to make Antonio Conte’s starting XI this term, Moura now says he is willing to leave N17 for free, meaning he would be open to a prospective move in January.
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Newcastle could sign Moura for free in January
If Eddie Howe did decide to make another move for the winger, it remains likely that he could be convinced to make the switch to the north-east.
With Newcastle fighting for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification, squad depth has never been as important to the Magpies.
The need for rotation demands a much larger squad, and with that comes a need for quality, too.
Moura is an experienced professional who could come in and make an instant impact at St James’ Park.
To date, he has amassed 145 appearances in the Premier League. More impressively, he has made 90 appearances in international competitions, illustrating his experience playing at the level the Toon are heading towards.
Famous for his miracle hat-trick against Ajax in the semi-finals of the Champions League, the 30-year-old has shown how much of an impact he can make off the bench.
His blistering pace means he finds it easy to push the ball past full-backs, allowing him to send late crosses into the box.
Tottenham centre-back Eric Dier has even said he is a ‘nightmare’ to defend against, as his incredible speed and agility make him a real handful.
Therefore, on a free transfer, this would be a brilliant addition to Howe’s squad. With Newcastle aiming for silverware, quality in depth is the key to the side’s success.