Real Betis are reportedly interested in signing Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron, with a mass exodus expected from St James’ Park in the summer.
According to Fichajes, La Liga outfit Real Betis are keeping close tabs on the situation of Newcastle United playmaker Miguel Almiron and have identified the Paraguayan as a potential summer transfer target.
The Magpies were very proactive during the January window, bringing in five new players including Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Tripper for a combined total of over £90 million. As a result, the Magpies had to trim their 25-man Premier League squad, with Isaac Hayden, Ciaran Clark and Jamal Lewis being left out.
The Magpies have taken a significant stride towards Premier League survival in the last two months, winning five of their last six games to create a solid seven-point cushion above the relegation zone.
The Toon hierarchy are already gearing up for what could be a massive summer for the club, with the aim of assembling a team capable of competing for European places in the Premier League. The Magpies are set to revamp their squad, with The Times claiming that seven players could be sold to clear the deck for fresh faces to join the Tyneside outfit.
Among a host of players who could leave, the name of Miguel Almiron comes as the biggest surprise. The 28-year-old joined Newcastle United from Major League Soccer side Atalanta United in January 2019 for a then club-record fee worth £21 million, and soon became a favourite among the St James’ Park faithful owing to his blistering speed and non-stop running.
The Paraguayan has turned out 112 times for the Tyneside outfit. While his tally of 13 goals and 5 assists might not be too impressive, he has shown flashes of his quality and tenacious work rate off the ball. That said, he has yet to score or assist a goal so far this season and has only made three starts under Eddie Howe. He looks set to be offloaded in the summer since he does not seem to be in Howe’s plans, with Real Betis interested in his signature.
Real Betis have been the surprise package in Spain this season under the stewardship of former West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini. They are currently sitting 5th in the table, only two points behind third-placed Barcelona. They are also set to face Valencia CF in the Copa del Rey final and are in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League.
With Los Verdiblancos aiming to continue their progress and break into the top-four regularly, they are already planning to add to their squad for next season. However, the Seville-based outfit lacks the depth in their attacking ranks to equip the Chilean coach with options for rotation, given they are in multiple competitions.
Now, it appears they have set their sights on Newcastle starlet Miguel Almiron, who perfectly fits Pellegrini’s possession-based style and can operate as an attacking midfielder or on either wing. The 28-year-old’s contract at St James’ Park expires in 2024 and he is valued at €16 million on the market. But the Paraguayan speedster could be available on a cut-price deal due to his lack of minutes.