OPINION
Newcastle United should look to get rid of Jack Colback before the end of the summer transfer window.
According to Chronicle journalist Lee Ryder, the Magpies still want to sign a new right-back and striker but could offload one of their central midfielders before transfer business ceases at 5pm next Thursday.
Bruce still eyeing a right-back and striker too. Offloading a central midfielder also still possible.
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) August 2, 2019
Newcastle have plenty of central midfield options at their disposal but if they are going to cash in on anyone, it should be former Sunderland man Colback.
The 29-year-old has spent the last season and a half on loan in the Championship with Nottingham Forest and while he did a decent job at the City Ground last season, he is by no means better than the other midfield options that Steve Bruce has at his disposal.
Sean Longstaff is arguably the best of the bunch.
The Daily Mail reports that Newcastle have slapped a £50million price-tag on the head of Longstaff amid interest from Manchester United, which probably makes him the highest valued player currently on the books at St James’ Park.
Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey and Ki Sung-yueng are Bruce’s other central midfielders but Hayden showed a great turn of form in the second-half of last season and Shelvey is a proven operator in the Premier League.
That leaves Colback and Ki as the two midfielders that Newcastle are least likely to miss if they are sold this summer.
However no one has been linked with a move for South Korea international Ki, whereas Colback admitted in April that he doesn’t see himself having much of a future at St James’ Park and as clubs in the Championship get twitchy before the window closes, there could be a move on the cards for the £35,000-a-week [Spotrac] midfielder.
Of course Rafa Benitez’s exit changed things and Colback may now be handed the chance to play his way back into the Newcastle starting line-up.
Based on his pre-season performances though, that should not happen and Colback should be forced out of the St James’ Park exit doors before Thursday’s deadline.
