da betway： Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth is seemingly eyeing potential new recruits ahead of the January transfer window, with the Englishman likely to be plotting ways to strengthen the Magpies’ bid for Champions League qualification.
da betcris： Latest reports have suggested that the Tyneisders are keeping taps on a breakout start from the World Cup in Qatar, with the St James’ Park outfit said to be one of the clubs interested in Morocco international, Sofyan Amrabat.
According to the Daily Mail, the northeast side – as well as the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur – are one of the emerging suitors for the Fiorentina star following his displays over the past few weeks, with Eddie Howe and co reportedly prioritising a midfield addition next month.
The 26-year-old – who is the brother of former Watford man Nordin Amrabat – will likely not come cheap, however, with reports in Italy suggesting that the Serie A outfit could demand a fee of around €55m (£48m).
That being said, that price tag has seemingly been warranted such have been the former Hellas Verona man’s displays for his country of late, having played an integral role in the Atlas Lions’ remarkable surge to the semi-final stage at the World Cup – the first African nation to reach the final four in the competition’s history.
Lauded as the “best central midfielder in the tournament” by journalist Carlo Garganese, the one-time Feyenoord brute notably recorded 2.3 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in his seven outings in Qatar, having been particularly impressive in the eventual defeat to France.
That clash saw the relentless “monster”, as described by Garganese, notably catch the eye after producing a long-bursting run and a subsequent crunching challenge to deny Les Bleus’ talisman, Kylian Mbappe.
Such remarkable work ethic was a feature of his game throughout the tournament, with the “elite” gem, as dubbed by journalist Jason Lee, ranking top of the charts for recoveries made (57), as well as fifth for tackles made (ten), as per Opta Analyst.
The defensive midfielder – who was also praised as “extraordinary” by Spain boss Luis Enrique – has certainly put himself in the shop window of late, with such performances likely to have piqued the interest of Howe’s side.
Not that those displays have come as a total surprise to those who have watched the £31k-per-week man closely in Florence of late, as he has proven himself a truly classy operator in possession, ranking in the top 4% for both pass completion and progressive passes among those in his position in Europe.
That will ease any fears over Newcastle simply being blinded by just a strong major tournament display, with the race now on to see if Ashworth can secure his signature.