Newcastle United are in the hunt to sign Akhmat Grozny left-back Milad Mohammadi, according to Football Insider.
The football news site report that the Magpies are up against Celtic and Rangers in the race for the 25-year-old, who is currently playing at the Asian Cup with Iran.
Football Insider claim that Newcastle have sent scouts to watch the 5’10” flyer [Transfermarkt] in action in the UAE, and may try to seal a cut-price deal in the coming days with his contract in Russia set to expire in the summer.
OPINION
Full-back, and particularly left-back, has been a problem position for Newcastle and Rafa Benitez all season long. Paul Dummett is their only real option there, with players like Matt Ritchie and Javier Manquillo filling in when they need to. It is no surprise then to see that Benitez is targeting a deal for Mohammadi, who would be a good signing for the Magpies. The Iran international may have never played at a higher level than the Russian Premier League, but his form for club and country definitely merits a move to a bigger club. In all honesty, merely getting bodies in over the next ten days is crucial for Newcastle, and a player whose natural position at left-back is a major priority. Benitez is obviously of the belief that Mohammadi is good enough to play at Premier League level, and the club must trust him on this. Time is of the essence, and any more wasted days will end up costing them at the end of the window.
