Newcastle United were pretty productive in the Championship last term after their demotion to the second tier of English football. Under the stewardship of Rafael Benitez, the Magpies had a sound recruitment system in the previous summer which enabled them not only to clinch an automatic promotion spot but also do so in grand style by lifting the Championship silverware.
It was indeed quite riveting to see them carving their way back to top but then, the promotion winning squad did have some drawbacks. The Magpies have also done the requisite chores this summer, having already signed Jacob Murphy, Javier Manquillo, Florian Lejeune and have secured the services of Christian Atsu with a permanent deal.
However, the former Real Madrid boss is far from being a satisfied man and is still keen to tighten the screws further. If one of the latest reports is to be considered, Newcastle United are aiming to bring Hull City’s versatile midfielder Sam Clucas for a fee which is believed to be in the vicinity of £4million.
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Clucas emerged as an instrumental figure for the Tigers last season but couldn’t save his employers from the clutches of the relegation. After his solid performances of last season, Clucas is keen to leave KCOM Stadium and thus, a move to St. James’ Park could be on the cards.
What will Clucas offer Newcastle United?
The 26-year-old was predominantly used as a central midfielder by Hull City last season, but his versatility also saw him being deployed in every position on the left, as a central attacking midfielder as well as a central defensive midfielder.
Clucas is an astute reader of the game, cuts down the spaces which the opposition create, is fairly composed with the ball and can put a tackle or two when the situation demands him to. Besides, he distributes the ball well and has the element of precision whilst passing the ball.
Last season in the top division, the Englishman managed 37 appearances to his name during which he banged in 3 goals and registered 1 assist. Further, he mustered 2.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 1.8 clearances and 0.2 blocks per game on an average and significantly improved his stature as a player.
Having put his calibre on display, the interest from the Toon make perfect sense and he can really inject more quality into the Magpies’ squad if they do manage to rope him in.
Statistics Credits: Whoscored
