OPINION
It is no secret that Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez is on the prowl for a left-back, and he must look no further than Brighton ace Gaetan Bong.
The 30-year-old is out of contract with the Seagulls in the summer, and he represents a fantastic swoop for the Magpies if they were able to sign him from their Premier League rivals.
The mainstay – who has made 13 appearances for the South Coast outfit this season – is Chris Hughton’s first choice for the role, but the club have failed to renew his current contract so far.
This is a situation which United should definitely take advantage of, as Bong has proved time and time again that he possesses bagfuls of quality that would certainly make an improvement to Newcastle.
The 6ft [Transfermarkt] star has a vast amount of experience in both the Premier League and the Championship – he has made 38 and 54 appearances in each league respectively – so there is no doubt that he would be able to walk into Benitez’ first team with ease.
Paul Dummett would certainly be sweating with an addition like Bong to the squad, but he is in desperate need for a player to provide him with healthy competition, if only to become a much better player himself.
Dummett currently has the likes of Javier Manquillo to compete with, and that definitely is not a viable long-term option.
Bong is just the answer to all of Newcastle’s problems in this area of the pitch, and what’s more, he will be available for free based on his current contract – something which would benefit Benitez hugely.
This would mean that United would have to go until the end of the season to sign a left-back instead of swooping for one in January, but Bong would certainly be worth the waiting around.
The Cameroon international has the ability to transform the team in the blink of an eye upon his potential arrival – so a move for him in the summer is a no-brainer really.