OPINION
Newcastle United must stop being pedantic during negotiations with Serie A side Genoa and accept their need to have a non-mandatory purchase option in a possible deal to sign Achraf Lazaar.
Reliable journalist Gianluca Di Marzio shared via his personal website on Thursday that while the two clubs were trying to reach an agreement over the future of Lazaar, one clause was causing an issue.
Di Marzio reported that while Genoa wanted a to buy option in their potential loan deal for the Magpies’ left-back, they didn’t want to be forced to trigger it at the end of the season whereas the Premier League side did.
It’s understandable that the Magpies want rid once and for all as Lazaar has flopped at St James Park.
The left-back despite joining the club in 2016 he has only made 10 appearances for the senior side and none of his displays have suggested that he is a player good enough to play for the Premier League outfit.
The 26-year-old also had a woeful time while on loan at Italian side Benevento last season and it’s easy to see that Genoa are taking a chance securing Lazaar on loan as his recent displays suggest there are better options for them to pursue.
While the Serie A side may eventually loan Lazaar and not end up purchasing him, the Magpies shouldn’t be too worried about that possibility as least they can try to sell him again next summer as his contract doesn’t run until 2021.
The 26-year-old is believed to be on £17,000-a-week at St James Park (Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport) and with him surplus to requirements as well as not having several suitors then the Magpies should accept Genoa need for a clause not to be mandatory just to avoid wasting money covering his salary.
Clearly the Magpies have no issues selling him based on this report, they’re just being pedantic over ensuring his future is permanently sorted now.
Therefore the Magpies should stop messing around as the Italian transfer window ends on Friday and just agree to loan Genoa Lazaar without any real commitment needed from them in order to see the defensive flop swiftly leave.
