Why Newcastle United Must Make A Move For Marseille Attacking Midfielder Morgan Sanson
Newcastle United have been linked with a move to sign Marseille’s attacking midfielder for a while now but no deal has worked out so far. The January window is approaching though, and that will provide the Magpies with another chance to land the player. Once the club’s takeover is finalised, Rafa Benitez will have a better idea of how much he can spend in January.
The Magpies started out on a strong note and are likely to secure a top 10 finish this season but they have struggled a bit over the last couple of weeks. There is a serious dearth of pace and creativity in their attack which is eating away their chances of doing better. The likes of Joselu and Aleksandar Mitrovic have not quite lived up to their billing and perhaps a player like Sanson could inject some much-needed freshness in the middle of the park.
The 23-year-old is being considered as one of the most exciting young attacking talents in France. His electrifying displays for Marseille have only cemented his claim for the same. Often compared to Nice’s Jean Michael Seri, Sanson’s creative vision up front often provides a firm footing for the strikers to capitalise on – and that is something Newcastle need in their team if they are to harbour greater ambitions.
Despite being a midfielder, Sanson is quite adept at scoring goals as well. In fact, in 8 starts for the French side in the Ligue 1 so far, the player has scored 8 goals already – which is an incredible tally for a central midfielder. He is quite generous when it comes to providing assists as well. The player notched up a total of 14 assists in the Ligue 1 last season, meaning Newcastle’s strikers can truly benefit from his abilities.
Sanson’s versatility can also prove to be a weapon for Benitez. He is a natural central midfielder but the No. 10 role is where he can unleash his true goal-scoring potential for the club. Moreover, the Magpies have two dependable midfielders in the form of Mikel Merino and Jonjo Shelvey but both of them lack creative vision and that is something Sanson has in abundance. His addition will bring about a healthy balance in Newcastle’s midfield while also providing scope for him to establish a strong partnership with Merino and Shelvey.
With a month left for the January window, Newcastle will hope that the takeover happens soon. For all his qualities, Sanson will not come cheap since he is tied to Marseille until 2021 but he could truly be a worthy addition to the Newcastle squad.