OPINION
With Fulham reportedly close to signing Alfie Mawson from Swansea, Newcastle should try everything to sign him ahead of their rivals.
As reported by Sky Sports, the London side are expected to seal a deal worth over £20million for the Swansea central defender in the next 72 hours, with talks between the two clubs at an advanced stage.
Ironically, as also reported by Sky Sports, Fulham have reportedly agreed a £27million fee with the Magpies for striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The Mapgies should use the money they’re going to receive from the sale of Mitrovic in order to hijack Fulham’s move for Alfie Mawson, so either way, the London side will be paying for Mawson.
Rafael Benitez’s side are in desperate need of reinforcements ahead of next season in all areas of the pitch, with the defence one of the areas where there are real problems. With the sale of Chancel Mbemba and the cruciate ligament injury to Florian Lejuine, the Toon are down to the bare bones.
Kieran Clark and Jamaal Lascelles, along with new signing Fabian Schar, are the club’s only recognised central defenders ahead of next season, which is a real problem.
The signing of Mawson would be a massive boost and an upgrade on their current options. The 24-year-old has been mightily impressive for Swansea City since signing from Barnsley in 2016. He’s made 65 Premier League appearances for the club, scoring six goals and has slowly forged a reputation for being one of the most promising central defenders in the country.
The Englishman is composed on the ball, tough to beat in the air and is a natural defender. He has all the attributes you need in order to be a top defender. He’s also young enough to improve even further, something Rafael Benitez would relish on the training ground.
