Newcastle signing this 25-year-old defender would provide the perfect answer to Benitez’s left-back woes

Newcastle United Opinion: Joe Bryan could be an excellent solution to Benitez’s left-back conundrum

According to Bristol Post, Newcastle United are interested in signing left-back Joe Bryan from Fulham in the summer transfer window, with manager Rafael Benitez reportedly looking to extend the 25-year-old’s stay in the Premier League following the Cottagers’ relegation to the Championship.

Bristol Post understands that the 25-year-old was on Benitez’s radar last summer but Fulham won the race to bring him to the Premier League. However, Newcastle want to offer him a reprieve and the Magpies have lined him up as a potential target in the upcoming transfer window.

Bryan was one of the shining lights of Fulham’s otherwise calamitous campaign in the Premier League which ended in relegation to the Championship.

Amidst all the defensive woes, the left-back held his own and caught the eye with a number of impressive displays in the top-flight this past season.

Fulham finished second-bottom in the standings and ended up conceding as many as 81 goals over the course of the season, with the lacklustre performances of the defenders coming under scrutiny numerous times.

The Cottagers were slammed by the pundits for their woeful defending but Joe Bryan was one man who stood out in that crisis, contributing with a goal and an assist in 29 appearances across all competitions.

A youth product of Bristol City, Bryan spent seven seasons at Ashton Gate before completing a £6 million move to Fulham last summer. The 25-year-old boasts of a wonderful record for the Robins, having accumulated 21 goals and 29 assists in 230 appearances across all competitions.

The Scotsman established himself as one of the best left-backs in the Championship over the years and he proved his credentials in the Premier League as well this past season.

To put things into perspective, Newcastle United have every reason to look at Joe Bryan as a viable option in the summer transfer window.

The Magpies are unlikely to have to fork out a fortune to get him on board and given that he is capable of playing both left-back and wing-back roles, Benitez’s interest in him comes as little surprise to the fans at Tyneside.

A modern-day, offensive-minded flying full-back, Bryan is noted for his sharpness, agility, pace and acceleration, as well his well-rounded tackling and intercepting skills, making him an exciting prospect for the Magpies. He likes to venture further up the pitch to contribute to the attack, whilst also possessing the awareness to deal with the transitions in play.

Calm and comfortable in possession, strong on the tackle and quick across the ground, Bryan is not only capable of playing it out from the back but he is also useful in the attacking third with his accurate crossing and eye for key passes.

The 25-year-old averaged 0.8 crosses, 0.9 key passes, 1.7 successful long balls, 2.2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 2.5 clearances per game in the Premier League this past season, figures which are very impressive, given that Fulham were under the cosh defensively for large chunks of the campaign.

Matt Ritchie did a wonderful job in an unfamiliar left wing-back role this season and contributed with as many as 8 assists in the Premier League.

However, Newcastle would do themselves a big favour by bringing in a specialist in the role, which, in turn, would allow Ritchie to play further up the pitch and cause a lot more damage to the opposition.

They signed Antonio Barecca on loan from Monaco in January to sort out their left-back woes but the Italian didn’t make much of an impact and he is unlikely to earn a permanent move to St.James’ Park.

Paul Dummett is certainly a good defender but can be a liability in the attacking third, meaning that the Welshman is not fit for a wing-back role in Benitez’s system. Joe Bryan presents a much more dynamic option for a reasonable price and his acquisition could possibly solve a lot of problems for Newcastle.

To Read More Newcastle United News, Click Here:- Latest Newcastle United News

Bryan, 25, perfectly fits the profile of players that Newcastle like to target in the transfer market and they should go all out in their pursuit of the Fulham man this summer.