Newcastle United have reportedly taken an interest in Fulham right-back, Ryan Fredericks who is set to be a free agent this June. A host of other Premier League outfits are vying for his services as the 25-year-old is on their radar for some time now.
Rafael Benitez has ambitious plans of bolstering the Magpies squad ahead of the 2018/19 season. He has not been provided with the right funds to chase all the big targets but the Spaniard can certainly find his man in Ryan Fredericks. The fullback, if he makes a move, will come on a free transfer and will be provided with more than a favourable opportunity to shine at the St James’ Park.
Currently United has only DeAndre Yedlin as the established presence in the right-back position with Javier Manquillo ready to be offloaded. There certainly needs to be some sort of backup if the Tyneside outfit plans on improving upon their previous season performances.
Fredericks is an able figure who checks all of Benitez’s requirements. He is a product of the Tottenham Hotspur youth academy and made 23 appearances for the club’s U23 side. He managed only 4 appearances for the senior team before signing with Bristol City.
Fredericks developed his game while away on loan spells to Brentford, Millwall and Middlesbrough and established himself as a reliable defender in the EFL Championship. Due to unfortunate circumstances, his stint with the Robbins only lasted 26 days which saw him get featured in 5 games.
The club agreed to let him go and the Potters Bar-born defender left for Craven Cottage. He has racked up over 100 appearances for the Lillywhites and has registered 16 assists. He appeared in 48 games last term and delivered 8 assists.
His performances in the previous season, under Slavisa Jokanovic, played a huge part in helping the side earn promotion to the English top-flight. Fulham managed to beat out Aston Villa in playoff finals by 1 goal to nil.
Fredericks’ only international experience came in the single appearance he made for the England U19 side and is now eligible to play for Guyana. He has the pedigree to appear for a top club like Newcastle.
The Magpies need to improve their squad depth as mentioned by the manager himself. Benitez has warned the United ownership of the repercussions the side might face if reinforcements are not brought in.
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Fredericks will be able to either fill in as a backup or provide competition for the starting spot and Benitez should be quick to sign him up.
