Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has refused to rule out the potential of right winger Miguel Almiron remaining at the club this month, after agreeing on a deal for an MLS move.
Newcastle head to the south coast for their Premier League clash with Southampton this weekend and Eddie Howe has been previewing the fixture with the press this morning.
The Magpies travel to the club with the worst record in the top flight where Saints have only picked up six points from their 22 league games, putting themselves in contention to break the record for the worst-performing team in Premier League history.
As a result, this should be a confident three-pointer for Newcastle if they are at their best on the day to make progress on their ambitions to secure European football for next season.
Indeed, the game will be the biggest priority for Howe as he navigates pulling his team back in the right direction after a humiliating home defeat of 4-1 to Bournemouth, but with the January transfer window nearing its climax, the manager can’t avoid the club’s lack of business.
Miguel Almiron’s future has been hanging in the balance since the transfer window, with reports of interest from multiple foreign clubs including MLS club Atlanta United.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein took to X last week to reveal that Atlanta were working on a deal to sign the winger:
“Atlanta United working to reach agreement with Newcastle United to sign winger Miguel Almiron. #ATLUTD offer for 30yo Paraguay international worth in region of £11m – #NUFC considering. Talks advanced + conclusion expected in coming days @TheAthleticFC”
This morning in his pre-match press conference Howe has given his stance on Almiron’s situation, hinting that the Paraguayan native could remain in the North East:
“We are both aware of the situation. Yes, there is interest in him from other club and there’s a chance he could leave before the end of the window, but if that moment never arrives he’s still a valuable member. We love him to bits. And his head is still very solidly here. Not one moment have I felt the need to have a deeper conversation with him.
Let’s see what happens.”
Will Miguel Almiron leave in January?
Despite being expected to make a move to the Saudi Pro League this month, Martin Dubravka is now reported to be staying on at Newcastle until – at least – the end of the season, which would mean that if Almiron also stays it would be the second player this month to have moves turned away by the club.
There is no doubt that time is running out for Newcastle to replace the winger should they allow him to move on in the immediate, but are they missing on an opportunity to cash in?
It is not beyond the realms of possibility that the club’s hierarchy are reluctant to let go of the 30-year-old prematurely without somebody lined up to either improve the position or add depth to the squad.
The Magpies are still in strong contention to compete for both domestic trophies, with the potential of a cup final next month, as well as a fight with strong competition for a spot inside the top six to secure European football ahead of next season.
As a result, managing minutes and rotation will be crucial for Howe in the coming weeks as he navigates the congested fixture list, one that could be defining for the club if they can keep their lead over Arsenal in the second-leg of their semi-final clash.
Football moves very fast and there is still a week left for Newcastle to both offload players and welcome new additions, but realising the potential season-defining consequences of those decisions over the coming days will be just as important.