According to reports, newly promoted Newcastle United are the latest team to join the race in landing Ligue 1 revelation Ryad Boudebouz this summer. The Magpies gained an immediate promotion back to top-flight English football after they got relegated in the 2015-16 season, and one of the main reasons for that has been the meticulous transfer planning their Spanish boss had done at the start of the season.
Rafael Benitez would expect a similar result this time if the transfers go according to plan. However, while they were one of the most popular clubs in the Championship both in stature and in terms of financial prowess, the situation is quite different now.
With the likes of Everton and Southampton also being prime suitors of the Algerian international, Benitez isn’t having this his way. With experience in top clubs like Liverpool and Chelsea, Benitez would want to prove his mettle with a weaker side this time especially after many questioned his abilities when Real Madrid sacked him two seasons back.
Newcastle have largely enjoyed an injury free season this term with the flanks quite dutifully served by the dynamic duo of Matt Ritchie and Yoan Gouffran. There have been 12 goals and 17 assists between them and although Benitez did fear for their backup in January making a desperate move for Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend, things, fortunately, didn’t turn sour.
However, Premier League is a different ball game where one’s star players might not turn out exactly how they wanted and a plan B or even C should always be kept on the shelves. And Boudebouz seems like a valuable option in the Premier League, given his versatility in the attacking third.
A number 10 by nature, the 27-year-old can also play equally well on the flanks. He has scored 11 goals this season registering nine assists. The club has labelled their prized asset at £13million. Not only Premier League clubs, but Ligue 1 giants AS Lyon and Serie A side Lazio are also keeping tabs on him.
Boudebouz is quite a regular in the national team too, managing 24 caps until now. His experience at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations make him all the more valuable. An academy product of FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, Boudebouz was extremely close to joining Liverpool in 2012, but talks fell through.
Reports of him leaving the club have put all his suitors on red alert and the player has confirmed it. Speaking to media, he said, “Certainly, my agent is in talks with some clubs, particularly in France, but there is still nothing concrete. There is also Liverpool, who have initiated discussions with my agent, but at the risk of repeating myself, everything is in the discussion stage, no more.”
