Newcastle United are not lining up a permanent move for Monaco left-back Antonio Barreca, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper reports on their website that the Magpies are likely to snub the opportunity to buy the 24-year-old after his January loan expires in the summer.
The report adds that a search for a new left-back has already begun, and despite having the choice to sign him, they looked at a number of players in his position during the last transfer window.
OPINION
It is not a surprise in the slightest that Newcastle are likely to pass up the opportunity to sign Barreca in the summer – why would they? He has managed just four minutes of action since he signed in January, which suggests that he has not been impressing Rafa Benitez in training in the slightest. The likes of Paul Dummett, Javier Manquillo, Matt Ritchie and even Kenedy are ahead of him in the pecking order, so it would be wise to question why Newcastle swooped for Barreca in the first place. The fact that he is not as versatile as his other teammates – Dummett can play at centre-back while Ritchie can play in midfield – obviously does not help his case in the slightest. Either way, it is good that Newcastle’s search for a left-back has already begun, and the fact that they have already looked at a number of players in the last window shows that they are intent on getting a quality left-back.
