Midfielder Kyle Scott is on the verge of making a move to Newcastle United.
The Magpies are in desperate need to bolster their ranks and reports claim that Scott has accepted an offer to sign on the dotted lines.
Scott was released by Chelsea earlier this summer when his contract with the Blues expired, which made him a free agent in the ongoing transfer window.
He is set to join St. James’ Park on a three-year contract and would be the first signing of the summer for Newcastle United, barring any late glitch.
Intriguingly, it was former manager Rafael Benitez who had identified the need to sign the 21-year-old. Despite Benitez’s departure, the Toon have continued their interest in Scott.
Why is he needed by Newcastle United?
The Geordies are having to deal with all sorts of problems at the moment following the departure of Benitez and are yet to officially sign any player this summer.
They finished thirteenth in the Premier League last season and from their performances throughout the campaign, it was clear that they had many areas of concern to address.
While Mohamed Diame was released after the expiry of his contract, the futures of midfielders Isaac Hayden and Sean Longstaff remain embroiled in uncertainty.
With less than a month left for transfer operations to cease, time is certainly running out for them and they do need to make some sensible moves in the coming days.
In such circumstances, Scott could bring a breath of fresh air to the club and act as a trigger for a late summer surge in club operations.
What are the pros and cons?
Scott is a technically gifted player who operates mainly as a box-to-box midfielder and has the ability to carry the ball from one end of the pitch to another.
His vision is also commendable as he has the calibre to create pockets of space around him. Besides, he is an astute passer of the ball and showcases a lot of maturity on the pitch.
However, he lacks experience of the Premier League and it is a cause for concern if the Magpies see him as a first-team option from the get-go.
Scott might not be a statement signing but could turn out to be a useful one. In a nutshell, he would add depth to the Newcastle squad which is short of options but they will need at least a couple of proven signings at the very least.