Why Newcastle United Must Go All Out For Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Newcastle United are reportedly interested in a summer move for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who currently plays as a midfielder for Marseille. He has attracted attention from several other Premier League clubs as well but Rafa Benitez is understood to be keen on ensuring he can steal a march on acquiring Anguissa’s signature.
The player rose to prominence with his fantastic performances in the Confederations Cup last year and since then, there has been no end to his impact.
Born in Yaounde, Anguissa is a product of Reims’ academy and although he has flourished this season, the youngster has had to work quite hard to get to where he is right now. He joined Marseille in 2015 but it was quite a while before he was allotted regular starts.
His career may have started out on a slow note but under Rudi Garcia’s watchful eyes, Anguissa has remarkably turned things around for himself and that reflects quite clearly on his performances on the field.
The 22-year-old has been a key figure for the French club and has played an outstanding role in helping them get to 3rd spot in the league standings. In fact, Marseille are far from the club they used to be and they actually have a solid shot at playing in the Champions League next campaign as well. And there is absolutely no denying the fact that Anguissa has had quite a hand in the club reaching such heights.
A typical box-to-box midfielder, Anguissa is proficient at breaking up opponent plays and starting attacks. He can be quite effective even in counter-attacking situations and he is quite quick on his feet.
Adept at applying a high-press while also demonstrating excellent ball control, Anguissa usually makes short yet incisive passes to maintain fluidity in the middle of the park. Given his skills, he can be a lethal option for any club and Newcastle United are most certainly in need of a player like him.
Most of the Magpies’ current midfielders are one-dimensional and inconsistent. Compared to them, Anguissa seems like an upgrade on a lot of levels and he could be comfortable in a two-man midfield as well as a three-man midfield.
However, the only stumbling block for Newcastle is likely to be the price. Anguissa is an important player for Marseille and they will not let him leave without charging a hefty price. Hence, it remains to be seen if Newcastle can actually land a player who could work wonders for them.