OPINION
Newcastle United must not sell club captain Jamaal Lascelles to Chelsea in the summer as they would be basically ripping out the heart of the team.
The Evening Standard reported that the Premier League giants were considering making a summer move for Lascelles and would tempt the centre-back to join them by giving him a significant pay rise on the £50,000-a-week he currently earns at the Magpies.
The newspaper’s report did also share that Newcastle United wouldn’t be willing to listen to offers for Lascelles, but if they were to lose Rafa Benitez as manager, then it might give Chelsea an opportunity to swoop in.
The defender would no doubt easily be swayed into joining Chelsea as not only do they compete at the top end of the Premier League and regularly feature in the Champions League, they would hand him a mouthwatering contract that few are strong enough to turn down.
However Newcastle United need to ensure Lascelles stays with them, whoever the manager is in the summer and even if the player gets his head turned, as he is the heart of the team.
The 24-year-old is one of the few players in the current Magpies squad, who is capable of playing in the top-flight, having proven himself in the 22 appearances he has made this season.
Along with grabbing three goals in the Premier League during this campaign, his quality and importance to the side was shown by the games he didn’t feature in.
Lascelles suffered a knee injury earlier in the season that made him miss five Premier League games, though he made the bench for one of those, but Benitez chose not to use him just yet.
In those five games missed, the Magpies slumped to four defeats and only managed to pick up one point when they drew 2-2 with West Bromwich Albion.
Now it wasn’t just the fact that Newcastle United had lost their rock at the back that caused them to lose, but the manner in which they lost was telling, as it showed they missed Lascelles’ leadership qualities being on the pitch.
The 24-year-old is vocal and drives his team to forward, his leadership qualities haven’t gone unnoticed and have even been highlighted by Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer.
The now BBC Pundit interviewed Lascelles for the BBC’s Premier League Show, and shared that he was the type of character the club needed to lead it to a better future.
While it’s true that pundits ‘ opinions can be debated, given the fact few know the Magpies better than Shearer, when he praised Lascelles it was worth everyone taking notice.
Therefore if Newcastle United somehow get dragged into selling Lascelles to Chelsea, they would effectively being ripping the heart out of their club.