Newcastle United could reportedly lose their star defender Chancel Mbemba. The 23-year-old has found life difficult at Tyneside having lost his place in the starting eleven under Rafa Benitez. He has failed to make a single appearance for Newcastle this year and has only made 11 appearances over the entire course of the season for the Magpies.
He is now reportedly being chased by a host of clubs. Belgium trio Standard Liege, Club Brugge and Mbemba’s former side Anderlecht are all interested in bringing in the DR Congo captain. However, Scottish giants Celtic are also said to be interested in securing his services. There is also the Champions League bound Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim who want to bring him in.
With so many clubs interested in him, he may very well leave this summer. As if this weren’t enough, there is also the fact that the Belgian clubs want to make him the highest paid player in Belgium. Anderlecht striker Lukasz Teodorcyzk is currently the highest-paid player in Belgium, according to reports but Mbemba could be set to match that should he move to Belgium.
The defender is ready to take a week before deciding to zero in on a final decision. The defender is only 23 years old and is a versatile option for any team. He can play as a centreback, a fullback and even a defensive midfielder. However, he is clearly struggling to adapt to life in England and might soon be on the move.
Under Rafa Benitez, the Newcastle team has made significant improvements which saw them win the Sky Bet Championship two seasons back whilst getting promoted to the English Premier League. The Spaniard has taken an average Newcastle side and managed to get a top ten finish for them this season.
He is a strict and disciplined manager with great attention to details and tactics. His teams are built on strong organization and are defensively solid with a flair for good attacking football on occasions. It requires his defenders to play with clear communications and act together while off the ball. Mbemba, despite all his talent, has not been able to crack the Benitez code and has failed to prove his mettle whilst following the manager’s orders.
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This would mean that Newcastle are also keen on moving him on and that might prove to be a good decision as it would free up funds for them to sign new players in the summer transfer market.
