According to reports from The Sun, Newcastle United are looking to make Swansea City attacking midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson their marquee signing ahead of their impending promotion to the Premier League next season.
The Magpies have battled through their Championship campaign and find themselves in the drivers’ seat to earn back a promotion to the English top division as they sit on top the table in the second tier with just 8 games left until the end of the season.
Sigurdsson has been one of the best creative players in the Premier League this season and has been a lone bright point in what has been a hard season for the Swans. His performances have resulted in attention from the likes of Everton and West Ham United as well. And now, Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has made the £15million rated Iceland international his primary target if they manage to seal their promotion at the end of the season.
The 27-year old Sigurdsson has been one of the most consistent performers in the league over the past two seasons after he moved to Swansea from Tottenham. One of the best attacking midfielders in the league currently, the Iceland international has managed to find the back of the net 8 times this season and has also chalked up a very impressive 11 assists so far.
Swansea City were looking like prime contenders for relegation in the early parts of the season. But the Welsh outfit have managed to find some life under new manager Paul Clement. and now they are out of the bottom three, 3 points clear of 18th placed Hull City and may well manage to stave off the drop to the Championship. However, they might find it hard to keep Sigurdsson tied down, more so if they get relegated.
Newcastle United may have the best squad in the Championship this season, but it is no secret that they have struggled to create chances in the attacking third at times. Ayoze Perez hasn’t been the most consistent of players playing in the hole behind the striker and summer acquisition Mohamed Diame has been ineffective, to say the least.
With Sigurdsson coming in, the Magpies will have someone who can create an ample number of chances and can score a handful of goals as well. He will bring an added threat with his supreme set-piece abilities.
Considering the factor that Newcastle will be left pretty short-handed in the left-wing department at the end of the season, with Christian Atsu set to return to parent club Chelsea following the end of his loan spell and Yoan Gouffran’s contract coming to an end, the move for Sigurdsson makes much sense. The playmaker has played out wide on the left for large parts of this season for the Swans and has been effective operating from there.
In Sigurdsson, Newcastle will be getting a versatile and a creative playmaker with proven quality and loads of experience in the Premier League. Imagine the statement that the Magpies would be making if they manage to get their hands on him. Sigurdsson has the quality and the ability to be the marquee signing who could be the difference maker for Newcastle in the Premier League and he must be signed by Rafa Benitez.