A 7-point lead in the Sky Bet Championship over the third-placed outfit in the form of Huddersfield Town, Newcastle United are poised in a pretty commanding position to make an immediate entry back to the Premier League after getting demoted last season.
They are favourites to finish in the top two spots and will hence avoid the hassles of the playoffs. The Geordies have acted in a befitting manner by imposing themselves as a daunting side in the second tier of English football and thoroughly deserve to get promoted.
Rafael Benitez should start looking for his targets for the summer transfer window in order to ensure that they don’t wither away next season. But then, shouldn’t they take a thorough look at their own books and pay sincere attention to a certain Siem de Jong’s brutally ruthless form ever since making a loan move to the Philips Stadion where he has rediscovered his former self?
Prior to giving his consent to render his services to the Magpies, de Jong was one of the most flamboyant attacking midfielders which Dutch football could possibly boast of. Whilst playing for Eredivisie side Ajax, the Netherlands international was a serial goal-getter and a stupendously creative player who took the football fraternity by awe.
Newcastle United came calling for him in the summer of 2014 when Alan Pardew was in charge. The English outfit lured him to St. James’ Park and in three years at the Tyneside, de Jong could muster exactly 1 goal.
Injuries and sporadic form did play an instrumental role in derailing him off the tracks and eventually, was readily shipped off by Benitez for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, the 28-year-old has reconstructed himself once again, courtesy of a loan spell with the Peasants, and in 15 appearances, he has already bagged 6 goals and 1 assist in the top tier of Dutch football apart from making 0.7 key passes every game on an average.
At this stroke of the hour, it does appear as if the Toons really needed someone to back the likes of Daryl Murphy, Aleksander Mitrovic and Dwight Gayle from the midfield and de Jong should fit the bill, for he has found his strong footing once again.
A midfielder who can also play as a striker, as well as a no. 10, PSV Eindhoven, have derived the best out of him and there is no reason why he can’t replicate such a stellar form for his parent club if they present him with first-team opportunities in the summer.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored.
