OPINION
It must have been a blessing in disguise for Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez when Achraf Lazaar left on loan for Sheffield Wednesday in January.
His future had remained unclear for a number of months, with a number of clubs – mainly in Italy – keen on snapping up the barely-seen Magpie for themselves.
However, the 27-year-old secured a loan move to the Championship, a switch which has been somewhat tainted by the fact that he got injured not long into the spell. He should be fit for the season run-in though, and this will be a very important time for Newcastle indeed.
They need Lazaar to work his socks off during this time, that is for sure. They need him to play at a high standard and maintain it, as it will only increase his chances of impressing Steve Bruce and securing a permanent deal with the Owls.
This is exactly what Newcastle want, no doubt. The last thing they need is to be stuck with Lazaar when he returns from his stint in a league below. They want him off the books, as his wages are a complete waste of time.
He has hardly featured for them since his arrival in 2016, and that is never going to change under Benitez. The manager clearly is not a big admirer of him, so the possibility of him pulling on a Newcastle shirt again is practically impossible.
Lazaar is just a burden on the Magpies if he stays with them, that is for sure. Benitez would not know what to do with him, which would not be good for him personally.
He no doubt wants regular game time, and the only way of doing that is by signing for Wednesday permanently. Now all Benitez needs to do is hope and pray that he impresses.
