OPINION
Newcastle United are not going to achieve their goals this season if they allow top quality players to join their Premier League rivals.
That’s why it is imperative that the Magpies make a January move for playmaker Danny Drinkwater, who the Express claim is in line for a move to Fulham.
TEAMtalk reported that Newcastle made an enquiry about the Chelsea midfielder in the summer, but Rafael Benitez’s side were ultimately rebuffed in their attempts to land the England international.
They must go back in for him in the winter transfer window because he is a player who could transform this Magpies team.
Drinkwater’s level of passing and ability to dictate the pace of games are qualities that Newcastle require, and pairing him with Jonjo Shelvey in central midfield would give the team one of the best central defensive duos in the country.
If Benitez can rehabilitate Drinkwater to his old Leicester form, and there’s no reason to think that he can’t, then Newcastle could be on to a winner.
Mohamed Diame is 31 years of age and has struggled for consistency this campaign, he cannot be viewed as a long term solution at the position.
Ki Sung-yueng, meanwhile, has impressed of late and would be able to make an impact alongside Shelvey and Drinkwater if Benitez wanted to change from his rigid 4-4-2 formation to a more fluid 4-3-3.
Whether the Magpies would be able to beat Fulham to Drinkwater’s signing remains unknown, the lure of reuniting with old boss Claudio Ranieri might prove too much for the 28-year-old, but they should at least give it a go.
If not, the team could see themselves being left behind by their relegation rivals, a situation which cannot be allowed to happen.
