Newcastle United are in absolute dire straits in the Premier League this season and are facing an uphill battle to stay afloat in the top tier. The Magpies notched up a crucial win in their last match against Cardiff City which got them out of the relegation zone temporarily. But they have a long way to go if they want to save themselves from the drop into the Championship.
The Tyneside club have been ravaged by a number of issues off the field as well, the biggest of them being the unavailability of funds to bring in new players this season. However, Rafa Benitez might still look to add a few new faces to his side on loan for the rest of the season and the club reportedly (Chronicle Live) have opened talks to bring in the Portuguese winger Gelson Martins.
The 23-year-old has found life hard for himself at his current club Atletico Madrid and has fallen down the pecking order under manager Diego Simeone. He has made only 12 appearances for the Rojiblancos this term so far and might be on his way out of the club on loan this January.
According to sources in Spain, as cited by Chronicle Live, the Portuguese winger has been on Newcastle’s radar for some time as the Magpies are looking to add significant firepower to their attack for the rest of the season. They have not been able to take their chances due to the incompetence of their forwards Joselu and Ayoze Perez, who have found it hard to get the ball into the back of the opposition net.
For Newcastle, the bulk of the scoring has been done by Salomon Rondon this season, who is also on loan from West Bromwich Albion. However, he would also need someone to share the responsibility of scoring goals with him, and Martins could be an excellent option.
Apart from his darting runs down the flank, the player can aim for the goal from a variety of ranges and could be a menace for the opposition if utilised in the right way by his gaffer. Benitez is well known for bringing the best out of his players, and it could be a similar story for the Portuguese winger who has been underutilised by Atletico Madrid since his arrival.
With the current financial struggle they are going through, Newcastle should look to beef up their squad with whatever loan options they could get their hands on this January. Gelson Martins could be a convenient option for them in the attack if they can land him on loan.
