Jamaal Lascelles is on “borrowed time” at Newcastle United, according to pundit Paul Robinson.
What’s the latest Newcastle United news?
Even the most optimistic of Newcastle supporters would surely have struggled to imagine just how well Fabian Schar and Dan Burn would pair together.
The former had been outcast by Steve Bruce but has formed into one of Eddie Howe’s key players, while Burn’s arrival has given Newcastle perhaps their most popular central defender in years. Lascelles who, to his credit, turned things around after a difficult start to the season against Everton in February, is clearly the odd-man out there.
A popular figure over the years, Newcastle also remain keen to sign Sven Botman this summer and chased Diego Carlos over the course of the January transfer window. Indeed, that would suggest they’re chasing at least another central defender, while Schar is reportedly in line for a new deal himself.
With that in mind, it is hard to see where the club captain goes from here.
Is it time to move on from Lascelles?
It’s certainly looking that way.
While holding one player to account to some patchy form may seem somewhat harsh, Lascelles had barely covered himself in glory until recently. With Burn through the door already, Schar potentially staying long-term and another defender likely arriving, Eddie Howe could be well-covered in the heart of defence fairly shortly.
An excellent signing from Nottingham Forest in 2014 and influential in the rebirth under Rafa Benitez, Lascelles deserves respect for his 208-game Newcastle career. The situation around him, however, has changed.
What did Robinson say about Lascelles?
Speaking to Football Insider, former England goalkeeper Robinson said: “Lascelles is on borrowed time at Newcastle.
“The backline is something that has needed to be addressed there for a long time. That was one of the main reasons they were struggling at the bottom of the Premier League. Defensively, they were poor. The players quite simply weren’t good enough.”
