Martin Hardy of the Times has reported that Nabil Bentaleb has arrived from Schalke to have a medical with Newcastle before he joins the club on a season-long loan.
This move has come out of the blue, but Hardy and now Sky Sports (12:49, 20th January, 2020) are reporting that the 25-year-old is on Tyneside undergoing his medical.
Would Bentaleb be a good signing for Newcastle?
Yes, he would add some quality
No, poor attitude
Why do Newcastle want him?
Steve Bruce wanted a central midfielder player to complement Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey, and the Longstaff brothers with Ki Sung-Yueng set to depart the club.
Bentaleb has made 97 appearances for Schalke, and in that time, he has scored 19 goals and provided nine assists, but his discipline has been a problem with 21 yellow cards and one red card.
The former Spurs man has also had issues with his attitude with many from Spurs not liking the way he went about things.
However, since leaving Tottenham Hotspur four years ago, Bentaleb has grown as a player and could make a real impact on this Newcastle team.
For Tottenham Bentaleb made 66 appearances and was rated highly by some at White Hart Lane, but eventually, the club let him go to Schalke.
However, this means that he has Premier League experience, so as soon as they get him match fit, he could make an immediate impact.
According to Sebastien Dennis, the Toon have an option to buy for just £8.53m. If this is true, then this could be a superb deal for Newcastle.
David Wagner does not want Bentaleb, and he could prove to be a shrewd signing by Newcastle – if the 25-year-old can make an instant impact.