In a recent interview with Football FanCast, former Premier League centre-back Steve Howey has labeled West Bromwich Albion defender Kyle Bartley to be a good choice for Newcastle United. Howey said,
“Newcastle need players in that have got more quality and you look at when Bournemouth went down they got their carcass picked by Premier League clubs, but he (Bartley) would be somebody that you’d look at and think he probably could add something to the squad.
“As far as Newcastle fans are concerned they’ll be thinking it’s another player that’s been relegated and we’re signing him, but the same happened when they signed Wilson.”
Bartley’s Difficult Season At The Hawthorns
It has been a long and frustrating campaign for most of the Baggies including Bartley as they have struggled to pick up favourable results in the Premier League. The West Midlands outfit are now facing the possibility of being relegated going into the final few weeks of this league campaign.
The ex-Arsenal youngster has participated in 24 matches for Sam Allardyce’s side this term, registering three goals and one assist in multiple competitions. Bartley deserves a lot of praise for not giving up when faced with adversity based on his average of 0.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 5.6 clearances per 90 minutes in the English first division. However, the Stockport-born talent needs to be more careful when distributing the ball out from the back because he has completed 77.6% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The English Defensive Ace Bring To The Table?
Standing at 1.94m, Bartley is a towering presence inside his half and can make some decent tackles to earn the ball back for his team. He is usually quick to react to the danger and can make some important clearances at the back. The English sensation is also a good presence on the ball but can sometimes struggle to get back to defend when he is caught out of position because of his lack of pace.
Should The Magpies Launch A Move For Bartley This Summer?
If Newcastle are looking to add more bite and steel to their defensive department, Bartley could be a good option for them as he would also increase competition for places within Steve Bruce’s match-day squad. Plus, the West Brom defensive ace is vastly experienced in English football and could be an influential veteran presence at St. James’ Park in the coming seasons.
At 29, Bartley has still got a few good years left in his locker to give a good account of himself in top-flight football. With his contract with the Baggies set to run out at the end of this season, he will be available as a free agent which makes him a safe option for the Magpies to consider this summer.
