Newcastle United Opinion: Diego Laxalt could be an absolute steal for the Magpies at £10.7 million
According to claims from Gazzetta dello Sport, as cited by The Shields Gazette, Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Uruguayan international left-back Diego Laxalt.
This is not the first time, though, that the Magpies have been linked with the 26-year-old, and with AC Milan looking to secure a fee of just £10.7 million to part ways with the out-of-favour star, Newcastle have been handed a massive boost in their pursuit of the Uruguayan World Cup star. (h/t Shields Gazette)
However, if the Magpies are really serious about getting their hands on the versatile left-sided South American, they would need to fend off interest from Serie A clubs Atalanta and Torino. (h/t Shields Gazette)
Laxalt has struggled for regular minutes at AC Milan since making his move to the San Siro from Genoa last summer.
The 26-year-old featured sporadically under former manager Gennaro Gattuso and started only 6 Serie A games in the previous campaign, although he went on to make a total of 29 appearances for the Rossoneri in all competitions.
The 26-year-old, who has 17 international caps for Uruguay under his belt and represented his nation at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, rose through the youth ranks of Defensor Sporting in his homeland before making a move to Europe with Inter Milan back in 2013.
However, Laxalt found regular minutes hard to come by at Inter and subsequently spent time on loan at Serie A clubs Empoli, Bologna and Genoa, joining the latter permanently in 2016.
Laxalt accumulated 8 goals and 17 assists in 117 appearances for Genoa in all competitions over the course of three seasons before making his move to AC Milan in the summer of 2018. However, his ill-fated spell at Milan looks likely to come to an end after just 12 months and he might as well be on his way to the Premier League, with Newcastle United holding a long-standing interest in him.
To put things into perspective, the news involving AC Milan’s low asking price for the Uruguayan should please the fans at Tyneside and it is a no-brainer that Laxalt’s arrival would go a long way towards solving the club’s left-sided conundrum.
The Magpies need to bring in a new left-back or a wing-back this summer to take the pressure off Matt Ritchie’s shoulders and the 26-year-old certainly presents a quality and affordable option in the market.
Benitez apparently lacked the personnel to implement his back-three system with two wing-backs, which is probably why Ritchie was used in that unfamiliar left wing-back role last season.
He still managed to contribute with 2 goals and 8 assists in the Premier League but Newcastle should look to use him in a more advanced role next season in order to maximise his potential.
Laxalt’s versatility to play at left-back, left wing-back and central midfield should help Newcastle solve a lot of problems simultaneously, although it is still unclear what role the club has in mind for him if they do go ahead with a deal to bring him in this summer.
A robust, hardworking, pacey and tricky customer on the pitch, the Uruguayan has the ability to control the game in the midfield with his good range of passing and game-reading skills but he is also adept at using his pace, dribbling and drive to good effect down the flanks, making him a good fit for either role.
Laxalt has a good eye for final balls in the attacking third, and that, coupled with his ability to deal with the transitions in play and deliver pin-point crosses into the box make him a wonderful utility player for any team in the world.
Newcastle should relish the prospect of having him at left-back next season, although they could also choose to use him in central midfield, given the uncertainty over the futures of Mo Diame, Issac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey.
Last season’s breakout star Sean Longstaff has also attracted interest from Man United, meaning that Newcastle are in serious danger of losing a lot of cover in central midfield this summer. (h/t Manchester Evening News)
The Magpies are yet to sort out the future of Rafael Benitez at the club, amidst talks of a multi-million-pound takeover by Dubai-based Bin Zayed Group. Newcastle could well be set for a massive spending spree this summer should the cash-rich Middle Eastern group assume ownership of the club before the end of the transfer window.
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Leaving all those talks aside, the acquisition of Diego Laxalt would certainly be a massive coup for the Magpies and £10.7 million for an experienced and talented player him might prove to be an absolute steal for the club.
