Newcastle United have managed to finally get a win under their belt as they defeated a similarly hapless West Ham United side in their 3rd match of the League season.
Manager Rafa Benitez has made a couple of decent additions to the first team but it is quite clear now that the Magpies need further additions to the squad before they can compete for a place in the top half of the table in the league this season. This has seen him linked with some of the finest stars in Europe and the latest name doing the rounds is Loic Remy.
Having failed to complete a full 90 minutes in almost two years, Remy has failed to get a place in the squad under Antonio Conte at Chelsea and is wanted by a number of clubs including Swansea and Newcastle United. So should Rafa make a move for him?
A product of the academy in Lyon, the 30-year old joined the Premier League with QPR in 2013 and also spent a year on loan at the St James’ where he was excellent, picking up 14 goals in 26 appearances in the top flight. He was picked up by Chelsea in 2014 but has so far only made 32 appearances, spending a season out on loan at Crystal Palace, where he was not really effective.
An injury prone striker, with exceptional dribbling abilities, Remy has spent a lot of time on the medical table and is someone Rafa should avoid. At 30, he has 31 international appearances for France to add to 165 Ligue 1 appearances, 79 PL appearances and 25 UCL appearances, making him an established star but he is hardly going to make Newcastle a contender for a place in Europe this season.
A player who can score from long distances regularly, Remy is an excellent dribbler with decent hold-up play while his passing is also an asset for his side. However, the Magpies already have the likes of Dwight Gayle, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Joselu for this role in the squad and Remy is not an upgrade.
At 30, he will not be a long term option and is probably going to miss a third of the season, like in the past with his injury history, and can leave Newcastle United short of options in crucial times. Rafa should rather be looking at a huge upgrade, someone who can walk into the first team and take the responsibilities. Remy is just not the right option for the club at the moment.
