Newcastle United seem to have turned a corner this season, with the Magpies now unbeaten in three matches and picking up a crucial victory on Sunday against high-flying Manchester United- ending an eight-match winless run at home in the process.
The performance of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who made his debut against the Red Devils after signing on-loan from Sparta Prague in January, was particularly impressive as he made a number of crucial saves- including denying Anthony Martial one-on-one in the first half.
Newcastle possess the option to buy the Slovakian goalkeeper permanently at the end of the season, should they exercise a clause in his agreement, but he’s not the only loanee that the Magpies should be looking to land on a permanent basis.
Kenedy, the first of Newcastle’s three January signings to arrive, has swiftly slotted into the Magpies’ regime after his arrival from Chelsea and he’s impressed in each of his three appearances so far, including an assist in his debut against Burnley.
His performances against Crystal Palace and Manchester United may not have been spectacular but they were consistent, with the Brazilian fitting in nicely with the Newcastle set-up and it’s rather telling that the Magpies are yet to lose with the south American in their ranks.
Persuading Chelsea into a permanent sale will be difficult, as Antonio Conte rates the youngster highly, but he’s unlikely to get the same first-team opportunities at Stamford Bridge as he would in the north East- so it may prove to be a beneficial career move.
