Newcastle United could be in for a tough time in the upcoming season as Rafa Benitez has once again struggled to add fresh faces to his squad.
A report by Marca, however, revealed that Newcastle are among five clubs linked with a move for Kevin Mbabu, a player who was previously on the books of the Tyneside outfit.
With Florian Lejeune unlikely to feature in the first half of the campaign according to Sky Sports, Newcastle’s defensive resources could be stretched, so they need to sign a defender.
Kevin Mbabu – Fact file
A player who joined Newcastle back in the January transfer window of 2013 from Swiss Servette FC, Mbabu had a good spell with BSC Young Boys last season which has made him a wanted commodity.
Still only 23, Mbabu struggled to force his way into the Magpies’ starting XI owing to injuries and Newcastle made the decision to sell him last season. His loan spell the year before, with the same club, was pretty productive as he managed 21 appearances in the Swiss league.
Last season, he featured in 32 games and was an impressive presence on the right, contributing two goals and six assists.
His performances in the UEFA Europa League last season earned him rave reviews. Despite playing as a right-back, he managed 1.3 key passes a game and completed at least one dribble a game. His defensive numbers were equally impressive, having managed 2.7 tackles a game.
What will Mbabu add to Newcastle United?
It was a real shame that Mbabu couldn’t manage a good run of games at St James’ Park. Still only 23, the fullback had a stellar season and it’s nice to see that his career is back on track.
Mbabu would add more options to the Newcastle defence which is in dire need of some reinforcements. Although Benitez has Javier Manquillo and DeAndre Yedlin as options for the right-back slot, Mbabu is a versatile player who can fill in at right centre-back.
Based on the season he had for Young Boys, he’d arguably be an upgrade over both Yedlin and Manquillo, though the Premier League factor will have its say.
With pace to burn and the ability to put in a cross, Mbabu would be a good player to stretch play and act as a source of creativity on the right. Considering Benitez’s pragmatic style of play, he could be particularly useful on the counter.
Stats via Whoscored
