OPINION
Newcastle United must snatch the opportunity to sign West Ham enforcer Cheikhou Kouyate as with him only costing £10million he could turn out to be a bargain.
Sky Sports reported on Monday that the Hammers were open to selling the 6ft 2in tall midfielder (Transfermarkt) and were looking for a fee in the region of £10million for their powerhouse.
The broadcaster’s report claimed that there had been no offers for Kouyate as of yet so the Magpies must swoop in to take the opportunity to sign a proven Premier League performer for a very reasonable price.
The 28-year-old may have had a disappointing 2017/18 campaign with the Hammers as his form was inconsistent across the 37 appearances he made for the club, but he is fixable.
Rafa Benitez has previously shown his magic touch at St James Park that seems to unlock player’s true potential and see their performance drastically improve.
The Spanish manager is more than capable of fixing Kouyate’s form and getting him back to the player who looked like a powerful presence in the Hammers’ midfield when he first rocked up at the London club in 2014.
The 28-year-old’s tough tackling ability, knack for controlling the tempo of games and his versatility would see him become a useful member of Benitez’s squad if recruited.
Kouyate can play as a defensive or central midfielder as well as being able to play as a centre-back if needed.
The powerful 6ft 3in player has also made five appearances in the Premier League as a right-back during his career and looked surprisingly comfortable in that role, so he could be an option to sign who would provide current Magpies right-back Deandre Yedlin with competition for a first-team place.
The Chronicle reported earlier in June that Benitez was keen to push on with finding a right-back to sign in this window and Kouyate could be a wildcard option to pick.
Therefore given the fact Kouyate who has played 129 times in England’s top-flight is available for a very enticing price this summer, the Magpies should swoop to secure his services as Benitez can restore him to his best.
