OPINION
Newcastle United need to sign a new No.10 in the January window to improve their attacking threat and it seems they reportedly have the ideal one on their radar.
According to Calciomercato.it the Magpies along with Huddersfield Town are keen on FC Empoli attacking midfielder Miha Zajc with the player wanting to leave the Serie A side in the current window.
The Italian news outlet claim that Empoli had decided on their player’s price tag if he is set to get the move he seeks and only want somewhere between five to six million euros (£4.8m to £5.3m) for him.
This price tag is Mike Ashley friendly as it’s relatively low considering what some players go for and the Magpies owner will no doubt see the resale value in the midfielder as at the age of only 24-year-old, he’ll probably improve and see his value rocket in the coming season.
With the businessmen still owning the Magpies, you feel that Rafa Benitez’s January transfer kitty will be limited based on how much the club have spent in previous windows, but even Ashley wouldn’t turn his nose up at Zajc’s price tag.
The 24-year-old is the ideal new No.10 for the Magpies to sign for multiple reasons, including the fact he has excelled in that role for Empoli this season in the 19 appearances he has made.
Zajc is also known to be a slick passer of the ball who can carve defences opening, a capable finisher, a tidy dribbler who isn’t afraid to take on his opponents in a one-on-one situation and is a bit of whizz when it comes to direct free-kicks.
Given that all these attributes would make him succeed as a No.10 in the Premier League, despite him having no experience of the division, the Magpies must sign him as other players of his quality are probably out of their price range.
