Why Ryan Christie would be a good signing for Newcastle United
According to The Sun (11/10; Page 61), Newcastle United have been linked with a January move for Celtic playmaker Ryan Christie, with Steve Bruce keen to add more creativity to his midfield ranks.
Premier League rivals Burnley have also been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old but French club OGC Nice, who value the Scottish international at £10million, are currently leading the race to sign the attacking midfielder. (h/t The Sun (11/10; Page 61))
Profile
A youth product of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ryan Christie burst on to the scene at his boyhood club in the Scottish Premiership back during the 2013-14 season. He went on to accumulate 10 goals and 9 assists in 76 outings for his boyhood club, winning the Scottish Cup in the process.
Christie was snapped up by Celtic in the summer of 2015 but he initially struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular at Parkhead. The left-footed ace spent a season-and-a-half on loan at domestic rivals Aberdeen, where he accumulated an impressive tally of 15 goals and 18 assists in 57 appearances.
The 25-year-old’s red-hot form at Aberdeen opened the door for him to establish himself as a key player at Celtic in 2018-19 and Christie hasn’t looked back since then. The Scotsman has evolved into an indispensable component of the Hoops’ attack under Neil Lennon, scoring 35 goals and supplying 33 assists in 107 appearances.
Christie would add more creativity to Newcastle’s midfield
Newcastle United desperately needed to address issues relating to lack of creativity and goalscoring firepower after managing a dismal tally of 38 goals in the Premier League last term. The Magpies responded by bringing in Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser from relegated Bournemouth as a part of their summer recruitment drive to bolster their attack.
Steve Bruce’s side certainly look a more potent attacking unit with Wilson and Fraser joining Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron in the ranks. However, there is still enough room to accommodate another versatile creative midfielder like Ryan Christie, who has established himself as one of the best attacking players in Scotland.
Essentially a No.10 by trade, Christie is also capable of playing in a box-to-box role, out wide on the flanks and up top as a supporting striker alongside a specialist centre-forward. Therefore, the Scotsman’s potential arrival at St. James’ Park would provide Bruce with valuable cover in multiple areas across the midfield and attack, while also handing a boost to the squad dynamics.
Besides his glittering track record of goals and assists in the Scottish top-flight, the 25-year-old has also delivered some top-notch performances in the Europa League over the past two seasons. That clearly suggests he’s more than ready to make the step up to a more competitive league.
Read more
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- Why Guillermo Maripan to Newcastle United would bolster their defence
Verdict
Ryan Christie has proven himself to be a cut above the rest in Scotland and with less than two years remaining on his current deal at Celtic, Newcastle should definitely fancy their chances of nabbing the 25-year-old in a cut-price deal. Christie looks capable of adding more depth and quality to the Magpies’ attack and still has his best years ahead of him, thus making the Celtic star worth a punt for Steve Bruce’s side.
