OPINION
Newcastle are reportedly interested in adding another central midfielder to their fight against Premier League relegation in Wolfsburg’s Joshua Guilavogui.
German newspaper Bild claim that the 26-year-old is on the shopping list at St. James’ Park, but the Toon are rivalling Ligue 1 giants Nice who qualified for the Champions League last season.
The report claims Newcastle must pay £13.7million to sign the ex-Saint Etienne and Atletico Madrid ace, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Volkswagen Arena behind the likes of Ignacho Camacho and Daniel Didavi.
Newcastle have already brought in Mikel Merino from Borussia Dortmund on loan this summer, but are expected to add to that after the Shields Gazette claimed Jack Colback would be left out of Newcastle’s 25-man squad.
Here, This Is Futbol considers whether the signing of Guilavogui would prove to be a good move for the Toon, and whether a deal is likely to be struck with Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.
Good move for Newcastle?
Guilavogui is known for his impeccable ability to break up an opponents’ attacking play at the base of a midfield, becoming renowned for his footballing intelligence.
That knowledge of the game and ability to read a player’s next move sees him make plenty of interceptions and tackles, while his lofty frame allows him to be effective in the air as well as possessing lung-busting stamina.
With seven France caps already to his name, it shows just how highly-rated the midfielder is. Seemingly available, his price tag is not extortionate and Newcastle should be able to complete a move.
To bring the best out of Jonjo Shelvey, the England international needs a player who is willing to do the dirty work alongside him and feed the ex-Liverpool ace ammunition to build the Toon’s attacks from deep. That would see Guilavogui and Shelvey form a perfect replacement.
This Is Futbol rating: 9/10.
Likely to happen?
A move seems likely to happen, with Wolfsburg willing to sell and a fee more than affordable. Newcastle need a central midfielder and signing a player like Guilavogui would give the Toon a huge boost in their fight against relegation.
The only stumbling block will be that Nice can offer the midfielder a chance to return to his home country and possibly Champions League football, if they beat Napoli in the play-off prior to the group stages.
Guilavogui may prefer to return back to France and with the chance of playing against Europe’s best will be a big persuasion tool for Nice if they do indeed edge past Napoli.
Newcastle must hope that Rafa Benitez’s former side Napoli can knock the ambitious French side out of the Champions League, before doing all they can to lure him to Tyneside.
This Is Futbol rating: 4/10.