OPINION
Newcastle United must act now if they want any chance of signing FC Porto winger Yacine Brahimi as other clubs won’t be afraid to pounce on him.
The 28-year-old flyer would dazzle Magpies fans if recruited this January as not only could his dribbling ability get fans off their seats, he’d be able to create or get the goals himself to see Rafa Benitez’s side firepower drastically boosted.
Brahimi has scored seven, while assisting six, in his 25 outings this season and even more impressively ended his 2017/18 campaign with 12 goals and 10 assists to show for his efforts.
It’s clear the winger could light up St James Park and is exactly the type of player that needs to arrive this January, but the Magpies have to be quick to wrap up a deal with him as due to his contract issues a lot of clubs are keen on him.
Brahimi’s Porto contract is due to end in the summer which means either he would be a bargain when his deal expires or be a fantastic cut-price addition for a side to pick up in January.
According to Portuguese outlet Ojogo in November, the Magpies were keen on Brahimi alongside West Ham and Everton but it seems the contest for his signature has gotten even more intense since then.
Daily Star journalist Aaron Stokes reported via his personal Twitter account that the Magpies had conducted a scouting mission regarding the player on Tuesday and that numerous European clubs as well as the Toffees, Norwich and Southampton also watched the 28-year-old last night.
#NUFC scouts were in attendance to watch Porto star Yacine Brahimi last night. The winger scored twice in a 3-1 win against Nacional. Everton, Southampton, Norwich and a number of European clubs also sent scouts to watch the player.
— Aaron Stokes (@AaronJStokes) January 8, 2019
Given that Brahimi scored twice in a 3-1 win for Porto while scouts were keeping their eyes peeled on him, other clubs will no doubt be convinced to make a move.
While the Magpies are normally slow to act in January, they can’t afford to on this occasion as they’d be a real risk on missing out on the player who has 45 caps for Algeria.
Therefore after what it was no doubt a performance that left Magpies scouts impressed, the club need to act now to have any chance of welcoming a player who’d dazzle fans like Brahimi.
