Date: 1st June 2022 at 3:09pm
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Newcastle United have rekindled their interest in Real Betis star Nabil Fekir.

What’s the Word?

That is according to the Sunday Mirror (via TEAMtalk), who claim that the North East side set to make a renewed offer to bring the Frenchman in this summer in a deal worth around £30m.

He was first linked with a move to St. James’ Park back in October 2021 by Spanish source Estadio Deportivo, but now the Magpies are reportedly ready to make their move, but face competition from Arsenal, who have also shown interest in the playmaker.

He could be the next Ben Arfa

And while Newcastle have been blessed with some excellent tricky wingers and clinical strikers over recent years, they have always seemingly been lacking in the playmaking department, with Allan Saint-Maximin the only player in the Toon squad to register more than three assists in the league this season.

In fact, they haven’t really successfully managed to replace cult hero Hatem Ben Arfa, who was a revelation in the black and white stripes during his four-year spell at the club between 2011 and 2015, registering 13 goals and 12 assists in 72 Premier League appearances.

In Fekir, they may have finally scouted a worthy replacement to the French playmaker, as the two maestros have very similar strengths, including their dribbling ability and their capability to score world-class goals, which is what the 35-year-old is remembered most fondly for by the St. James’ faithful, the stand out being his Puskas award nominated solo goal against Blackburn Rovers.

This earned the Lyon native acclaim from Brazilian winger Malcom, who claimed that “he scored incredible goals” during the time they both played in Ligue 1.

The Real Betis man has also received praise from the club’s president, who, when asked about the 28-year-old, said:

“He’s doing superbly well, he’s a world champion with tremendous quality. When you see him move with the ball stuck to his foot you know he’s going to make something genius. He’s a magnificent player.”

With six goals and eight assists to his name in LaLiga during the 2021/22 campaign, he registered more goal contributions than any of Eddie Howe’s current squad, and if he can replicate that form in the Premier League, he can easily be as influential on Tyneside as Ben Arfa.

And in other news, Newcastle also look at another player to bring in this summer.

 

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