Newcastle United have identified Ryad Boudebouz as one of the targets to secure as Rafa Benitez continues his summer spending spree. The Spaniard led the team back to the Premier League after lifting the Championship title and will be looking to build a solid base once again which will ensure Newcastle’s stay in the top-tier for a long time to come.
The Algerian international just had a sensational season with the French side Montpellier as he found the net 11 times in the last season. The Magpies are looking for a creative enforcer through the middle and Boudebouz could be that one player.
The Algerian playmaker has had enough football in Ligue 1 and would be looking for various opportunities in different leagues. He even started his career in France with Sochaux and eventually landed at Montpellier in 2015 from Bastia when the French club paid a small amount which exceeded £1m.
The Magpies never looked like a panic-stricken side as Rafa Benitez knew if given chances he could do quite extraordinary things with this team. Newcastle had planned a brief transfer strategy and had implemented it with sheer perfection. The Spanish manager had been with Liverpool and Chelsea earlier and used that expertise in bringing some of the top-notch talents to the St James Park.
This year too, he has demanded a huge transfer kitty to get the job done and the Algerian playmaker tops his shopping list. The player was supposed to be one of the marquee signings of the manager but if reports are to be believed, German side Bayer Leverkusen are ready to give the Toons a stiff competition.
Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller made a personal intervention in the transfer and is trying to bring the player to Germany. Montpellier are looking for a fee of around £13m and it’s within Newcastle’s reach.
Naturally, he loves to play just behind the main striker in the no.10 position but he can equally serve on both the flanks. Newcastle haven’t had many problems regarding their attacking department as both Matt Ritchie and Yoan Gouffran have been very efficient in their roles and has done quite brilliant up front.
But Gouffran’s contract will be coming to an end once the season ends officially and he hasn’t been offered a new deal. Assuming that he will leave the club, Benitez would feel the urge to sign a new attacker and Boudebouz would be the perfect choice for him.
