Newcastle are ready to make a permanent move for loan star midfielder Mikel Merino, according to the Chronicle.
It is said that the player is enjoying his time at the club, and likes working under manager Rafa Benitez.
Newcastle are also ready to step up the hunt for new transfer targets in the January window, sending their scouts out in search of a central midfielder.
The paper reports that Benitez doesn’t want the club to make the same mistakes they did over the summer window, when targets were missed.
To that end, scouts will be sent to Spain, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Portugal and eastern Europe, on the hunt for a midfielder, as well as a full-back and a striker.
A good move for Newcastle?
After a cameo appearance in the first Premier League game of the season, Merino has played 90 minutes in all five league games, and has been a big part of Newcastle’s resurgence. They have now won three in a row and are sitting in fourth place in the Premier League. Merino stepped up after Jonjo Shelvey got himself sent off for a stupid stamp on Tottenham’s Dele Alli in the opening weekend of the league. Shelvey, one of the stars of Newcastle’s title-winning last season, hasn’t started since and Merino has grasped his chance with both hands. The fans rate him and Benitez obviously does too – it would be a very good move for Newcastle.
This Is Futbol rating: 8/10
Likely to happen?
Very likely. Borussia Dortmund confirmed that there was a trigger in the loan deal that would force a permanent move if Merino played a certain number of competitive fixtures. We don’t know how many games that is, but with Merino a solid fixture in the Newcastle first team, it looks nailed on that he will become a permanent fixture at St James’ Park.
This Is Futbol rating: 9/10