Why Newcastle United re-signing Lewis Gibson would be a good move
According to The Northern Echo, Newcastle United are hoping to pull off a January deal for Everton youngster Lewis Gibson.
Gibson, 19, came through Newcastle’s youth set-up but could not progress beyond that in his early days. He was then poached by Everton for £6m in 2017 as he had an unconvincing time at St. James’ Park. His move to Everton has not gone according to the plan either, as he is yet to make an appearance for the first-team.
He was a part of England’s U17 World Cup-winning team but made just one appearance in the tournament against Iraq U17 in the group stages. At the moment, he is an important member of the U23 team, representing them in the EFL Trophy.
David Unsworth’s side are currently 8th in the Premier League 2 standings and Gibson has played in 5 of their games, with 1 goal to his name. The centre-back’s contract at Goodison Park is set to expire at the end of the season but the report suggests that Everton are keen to agree on fresh terms with him.
At the same time, he has the option to move elsewhere in search of first-team action and get a chance to play in the Premier League. And it would be pay off well if the Tyneside team take note of his situation and bring him back to his boyhood club.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United are doing a decent job in the top-flight and are currently 11th in the league standings. Though they have not been the dominant force they once used to be, Steve Bruce’s side, at the moment, are performing better than how they have fared in the past few years.
The Magpies have a huge squad this season, which is bigger than most of the English teams. This could make it difficult to add reinforcements in January. Most of them are earning high without being able to make it to the starting line-up and it is a clear waste of resources.
They have their own contractual issues, with nine of the players set to reach the end of their deals soon. Rob Elliot, Jack Colback, and Ki Sung-Yueng are set to leave, according to the report.
In this case, Lewis Gibson would be a great addition to the squad. Steve Bruce has had a tough time with injuries to a lot of players in his squad, especially in their defensive unit. Captain Jamaal Lascelles has been sidelined and is not expected to return any time sooner.
Therefore, Gibson would be a proper backup for the central defence. The youngster can also play as a left-back and has shown qualities of improvement in the past few months.
Read more
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Verdict
With Ciaran Clark (30) and Federico Fernandez (30) both reaching the end of their careers, Gibson would be a perfect fit for the team alongside Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles.
Therefore, Newcastle must not hesitate to re-sign their own academy product, who can also go on to lead them in the future if he stays and develops with the club.