Miguel Almiron’s future will dictate what Newcastle United can do between now and the close of the transfer window.Newcastle United’s ownership changed hands almost three years ago and since then every single position in Eddie Howe’s squad has been either bolstered or freshened up – apart from the right-side of his attack.
Another season is upon us and Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy remain the two men battling it out for a spot in that particular position once again. The former enjoyed a purple patch in the Magpies’ surge to the Champions League two terms ago, while the latter has improved greatly in recent months and will no doubt get the nod this weekend against Southampton.
But many thought this would finally be the summer Newcastle spent significant funds on a big-name goalscorer to join the club’s attack alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon. With two weeks left of the window, it remains to be seen whether that will happen, and this, mainly, is down to Almiron’s future being central to Howe plan’s this window.The Paraguayan is one of Newcastle’s only real sellable assets who could realistically depart at present. Martin Dubravka, Harrison Ashby and other fringe stars could leave for minor fees, Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson exiting would marginally boost the kitty but Almiron feels like the only senior star who has been both linked with a move away and who could recoup north of £20m – if Newcastle are lucky.
It is not as simple as that, however. Interest this summer has been thin on the ground, compared to January, and Howe has so far shown no great desire to lose the winger. He is seen as a valued member of the first-team, liked by his peers and trusted by the gaffer. That was certainly the case in January when Almiron was attracting interest from Saudi – and it remains the same this summer.
“He has been unbelievable for Newcastle. Long before I came but since I have been here he has been an absolutely pivotal and key player,” Howe said in July. “We love him, we love his personality and we love working with him. And he’s come back with a big smile on his face. So I am looking forward to working with him again.”
Almiron himself is also in no hurry to leave either. There is the real possibility Murphy keeps him out of the starting XI for a chunk of this upcoming season but the former Atlanta United star remains settled on Tyneside with his young family.
However, the start of this week brought with it news of interest from the MLS. Charlotte FC, managed by former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith, are keen to provide Almiron a route back to north America, something he is said to be open to at some stage of his career, but a deal will prove extremely tough to pull off.
Chronicle Live understands Newcastle rejected Charlotte’s first offer for Almiron – and it’s no surprise. The record, incoming, transfer fee in MLS history stands at $16million [£12.5million] and Charlotte themselves have a transfer record of just $8million [£6.25million] after signing Celtic star Liel Abada earlier this year.
An added complication is the fact the MLS transfer window closes on Wednesday, August 14. After that, it would appear Almiron’s only other likely destinations would be a Saudi Arabia switch or an extremely left-field Premier League move later in the month.
But with each passing day, the possibility grows that it will in fact be Almiron and Murphy heading into the new season together, with no new right-sided arrival for Newcastle before the September transfer deadline for British club.
With the north east outfit pushing hard to sign Marc Guehi, for a whopping £60m fee, club chiefs may well be keeping their powder dry with profit and sustainability rules [PSR] still very much at forefront of their thinking when it comes to spending. Guehi will be a welcomed addition but a costly one unless Howe can somehow offload a wealth of his fringe players in the coming weeks.
Should Almiron depart, Howe will want a replacement in before the month is out. If sufficient interest fails to emerge, it is unlikely the manager will want to spend big on another right-winger, carry three of them in his senior squad, all while potentially hampering future financial spending power in the process.
Essentially, Almiron’s decision to stay or go will dictate how the end of the summer window unfolds for Newcastle.
