Newcastle United academy product Adam Armstrong has completed his permanent move to Championship side Blackburn Rovers.
The striker was long touted as a potential star at St James’s Park, but had to make do with a series of loan moves away from the club, particularly flourishing at Ewood Park last season.
Despite the club’s lack of genuine centre forward talent in recent campaigns, the 21-year-old was never really given a chance on Tyneside, and now departs his hometown club for pastures new.
His departure has largely been greeted with dismay by Magpies fans, although that may be more to do with the club’s overall transfer business this summer. This is Futbol have picked out some of the best responses to his sale.
Well done Newcastle for selling talent, joke of a club.
— Stu H (@SH_1993_NUFC) August 6, 2018
Complete waste, this is disappointing
— David (@Logic456) August 6, 2018
One thing I can’t agree on with Rafa, no idea why he’s never been given a real chance. For me easily worth a shot in number 10 role no worse than Perez or joselu but not given minutes on pitch to show it
— peter nixon (@petern280) August 6, 2018
Gutted this lad didn't get a chance to show us what a lot of us know he's got, top quality, shame to see him go… on the other hand, it will be good for him to get some games under his belt and be respected by the hierarchy. Good Luck @AdamArma9
— Edd ?? (@imBeardEdd) August 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/ashsales22/status/1026421441452040193
https://twitter.com/Gibbo2910/status/1026420794786766849
Shame to see Adam Armstrong leaving #nufc. Only really seen glimpses so need to trust Rafa’s judgement I think. The writing was on the wall when he was loaned out during our Championship season. Good luck to him at @Rovers
— Al Campbell (@Al_inDK) August 4, 2018
OPINION
While Armstrong was highly touted for many years at St James’s Park, he never quite made the breakthrough into the first team. He has enjoyed his best loan spells under Tony Mowbray so being reunited with the Rovers boss, this time on a permanent basis, makes sense. As one Twitter user says, you have to trust Rafael Benitez’s judgement on this one. He clearly didn’t see Armstrong as a Premier League level striker, so has sold him, probably to fund Salomon Rondon’s loan fee. That’s life on Tyneside these days, selling players so you can afford loan fees… that TV rights money has really gone a long way, hasn’t it?