The scenario that has been carved with an immediate return back to the promised land of the Premier League is a perfect one for Newcastle United faithful as Rafael Benitez has successfully dealt with the baptism of fire that he ventured into. With a 4-1 win over Preston North End on Tuesday, the Magpies secured their promotion to the top flight in what has turned out to be a season where most of the things clicked in their favour.
With Premier League action returning to St. James’ Park in the summer, it comes impliedly that Newcastle United would be splashing some cash to solidify their ranks by bringing in some quality names in the business. To remain adrift of the relegation dogfight and to rather challenge for a finish high up the table in the top tier of English football, signing a veteran player who could inject leadership qualities would hold paramount importance and there is no denying this.
One of the names to have been linked lately with the Geordies is Manchester United’s talismanic midfielder, Michael Carrick. The 35-year-old would be out of contract in the summer and apparently, Benitez is interested in luring him to his hometown club. With the gigantic experience that he has under his belt and the quality he still possesses, he would be a shrewd target to enable the former Real Madrid boss in garnering a well-constructed midfield setup with one of the finest footballers produced by the English football.
So far this term in the Premier League, Carrick has featured in 18 games, registering 1.1 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 1.5 clearances and 0.3 blocks per game on an average. The English international has the perennial attribute of shielding the backline meticulously and cuts the passes of the opponents very well. Besides, he acts as a lynchpin between the defensive and offensive players of his side and toils relentlessly throughout the pitch. His discipline is highly rated and when a player boasts of a pass completion rate of 92.9%, rest assured that he knows how to get the job done.
Should the move to the ranks of the Toons actually materialise, it would benefit Carrick as well as Newcastle United, for he still has a year or two of top quality football still left in him. Jose Mourinho would not hesitate in penning big money signings in the summer which is seemingly likely to make him spoilt for choices. He is a proven winner and the winning mentality which he would instil among the players of the black and white crop is only likely to take the club forward in the right direction.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored.com
