In a recent report, Globo revealed that Newcastle United have set their sights on Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi. It has been mentioned that the Magpies are showing interest in recruiting the Brazilian talent this summer.
Lodi’s Up And Down Season In The Spanish Capital
The 24-year-old has served as a decent squad player at the Wanda Metropolitano but has struggled to be consistent with his performances during this campaign. Lodi has featured in 42 matches for the Madrid giants this season, netting four goals and grabbing five assists across multiple competitions.
The Serrana-born talent has made most of his appearances off the bench which could be why he is only averaging 1.1 tackles, 0.4 interceptions, 0.5 clearances, 0.4 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga. However, he has been excellent when distributing the ball from the left flank after completing 81.6% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
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Should Newcastle United Boss Eddie Howe Get Lodi On Board This Summer?
Lodi is a good tackler of the ball and can chip in by scoring and creating his fair share of goals in the final third. The South American defender is primarily a left-back but can even serve as a left-sided wide player if required. However, he has often lacked consistency with his performances which could be why Diego Simeone has often left him on his bench over the past ten months.
Still, there is no denying that the Brazilian sensation could become a key asset for a club like Newcastle where Eddie Howe is trying to build for the future. At 24, his best years are ahead of him which makes him a worthy target for Howe to pursue this summer.
Lodi will definitely increase competition for places within the Magpies‘ squad. He could even help them be competitive across all competitions in the coming seasons. We can expect Lodi to bring some bite and steel to Howe’s defence at St. James’ Park. Thus, it makes sense for the Tyneside giants to try everything they can to get the Atletico Madrid sensation on board ahead of the new season.
