OPINION
Newcastle United are reportedly set to sign Nantes winger Anthony Limbombe on loan, and it could be an absolute blinder of a transfer for the Premier League club.
The Mirror reported via their live transfer blog on Wednesday [01:46pm] that Limbombe, 24, is heading to St James’ Park on loan from the Ligue 1 club, even though he became their record signing the summer.
According to Get French Football News, Nantes signed the Belgium international from Club Brugge for a fee worth £6.1million plus add-ons.
They signed him off the back of an excellent season in Belgium with Club Brugge where he scored six goals and supplied seven assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.
It was staggering that Nantes managed to sign Limbombe in the first place.
The Daily Mail reported last June, before he joined the French club, that Huddersfield had tabled a £13million bid to sign him and Newcastle were credited with an interest, as well as Southampton and RB Leipzig.
Limbombe is clearly someone who has been on Rafa Benitez’s radar for some time and the Spaniard must feel as though he can get a lot out of the Belgian dazzler,
The left-winger would definitely get straight into the starting line-up at St James’ Park for starters.
Christian Atsu has been Benitez’s first choice on the left-wing for most of the club’s league action since December, but in 21 appearances across all competitions he is yet to register a goal or an assist.
Limbombe will definitely be an upgrade on Atsu, and his arrival could potentially mean that Kenedy can be sent back to Chelsea from his loan, freeing up another domestic loan spot for the Magpies if they want yet another signing.
It promises to be an exciting 24 hours for Newcastle fans and while Limbombe is by no means more exciting than Miguel Almiron, the jet-heeled Belgian could turn out to be quite the signing for the Tyneside club.