OPINION
Newcastle United desperately need reinforcements in wide areas, that much has been abundantly clear this season.
The team has suffered a severe lack of production from the likes of Kenedy, Christian Atsu and Jacob Murphy this campaign, and it’s about time manager Rafael Benitez was allowed to bring some fresh blood in.
Perhaps a return to one of his old clubs could do the trick. A swoop for out of favour Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic maybe? It’s an idea that is just crazy enough to work.
Markovic has largely been forgotten about by Premier League viewers, but he remains a decent player who showed much promise at Benfica prior to his move to Anfield. Besides, the last time we saw him in the English top flight be played pretty well during a loan spell with Hull City.
The Magpies are desperate for improvements on the wings and so it’s surely worth the club taking a chance on someone like Markovic? We know he’ll be motivated after having been driven into exile on Merseyside by Jurgen Klopp.
The Liverpool Echo reported on Thursday that the Reds are keen to finally get rid of the Serbian this month and are open to offers for him.
Newcastle should test the waters with a £5million bid. The player is out of contract in the summer and so Klopp’s team would likely accept a minimal fee for him.
At just 24 years of age he still has so much room for improvement. It’s not fair to rule out him ever having any Premier League success just because he hasn’t been able to cut it at Liverpool. Lots of players haven’t been successful at Anfield and have had perfectly solid top flight careers.
Considering the plight that the Magpies are in, this is a risk worth taking. If Benitez can rehabilitate Markovic then Newcastle could be on to a winner.
