Why Newcastle United should avoid signing Francesco Vicari
Newcastle United are yet to pick up their first win of the season and are seeking defensive reinforcements in January. Rafael Benitez is interested in signing 24-year-old Italian centre-back Franscesco Vicari, according to The Sun.
Considering we are so early into the season, it is surprising to see that Newcastle have lost five of their opening seven matches. After all, Benitez’s teams are usually tactically adept and defensively solid. But right now, the Magpies need to kick-start their campaign quickly and climb up the league table to stand a chance of signing any players in January.
Benitez did identify the need for defensive reinforcements and resolved it by signing Federico Fernandez from Swansea and Fabian Schar from Deportivo La Coruna in the summer. However, the duo hasn’t hit the ground running and that could be why the Spanish boss is keen on SPAL defender Francesco Vicari.
Newcastle were dealt a massive blow in pre-season as Florian Lejeune suffered a ruptured cruciate that has kept him on the sidelines. However, the French defender is optimistic about returning to the field soon after a successful knee operation, as per Benitez (h/t Sun).
However, despite the poor start to the season, there is no immediate cause of concern for the Tyneside outfit. The Magpies have a powerhouse of a centre-back in club captain Jamal Lascelles. Full-backs DeAndre Yedlin and Paul Dummet are quick both while attacking and retreating, proving consistently that they are worthy of playing in the Premier League.
Federico Fernandez may not have the hit the ground running but he possesses a bundle of top-flight experience. The Argentinian joined Swansea City in 2014 and a was key player in guiding them to survival in the four years he spent at the Welsh outfit. This experience could be pivotal should the Magpies find themselves in a relegation scrap in May.
Another one of Newcastle’s additions this summer, Fabian Schar seemed to win over the Newcastle fans after a commanding performance on his debut against Chelsea. However, since Lascelles’ return, the Swiss international hasn’t been able to nail down a regular spot in Benitez’s side.
The club must provide the two summer recruits with time to gel into the backline and get accustomed to each others’ style of play before going into the transfer market and buying Francesco Vicari out of panic.
The underlying issue isn’t necessarily Newcastle’s defence but it goes without saying that they must focus on their attack. As a matter of fact, the Magpies have only scored 5 goals all season.
A player who Newcastle deemed surplus to requirements in the summer, Aleksandar Mitrovic is currently playing for Fulham has already equaled the amount of goals scored by the entire Newcastle team in 7 matches!
If funds are available for Newcastle to spend in January, they must turn a blind eye to Vicari and allow the duo of Fernandez and Schar to settle and adjust. Instead, they must look for a proven striker who can easily get them 10-12 goals in the latter half of the season.
