Why Signing Aaron Lennon Will Be A Blunder For Newcastle United
Newcastle United are reportedly harbouring an interest in signing Everton winger Aaron Lennon this January. Burnley were also linked with signing Lennon but since they have sealed Georges-Kevin N’Koudou from Tottenham Hotspur on a loan move, they may loosen their grip a bit, allowing the Magpies to capitalise. At 30 years of age, Lennon does boast of a lot of experience and could help the club add some much-needed power to their wide areas. However, is he the right choice?
First of all, signing Lennon will be nothing short of a gamble. If you are a club that is at the top of the league with a lot of money to spend, one could view Lennon’s deal as a luxury expenditure to boost squad depth. However, Newcastle are far from being that secure in the Premier League.
They may have started the season on a strong note but Rafa Benitez’s men are struggling at present. Although they were initially touted to finish in the top-six, Newcastle have dropped down to 15th place and are merely 3 points away from the dreaded relegation zone.
Lennon has been inconsistent over the last two seasons and there is very little evidence to prove that he could do better at St. James’ Park. Granted, Newcastle do not have as many strong options up front right now. The likes of Matt Ritchie, Joselu, Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic have struggled on several occasions for the Tyneside outfit.
However, it still makes no sense for Benitez to splash money on a player who might or might not perform. Not to mention, they are in the middle of a takeover battle and are already short of funds. It would make greater sense to spend that amount on bringing in a better performer instead of Lennon.
One might argue that he has a lot of experience but that does not make up for lack of form. He is definitely not a long-term option and that makes the situation all the more worrisome. Signing Lennon will not prove to be beneficial in the near future and neither will it guarantee results in the long-run. Instead of making a hasty decision to buy him now, Benitez might be better off scanning the market a bit more to find a more sturdy option.
If Newcastle were able to score goals with their current crop of attackers, a move for Lennon could seem plausible but given the gravity of the situation, the Everton attacker is unlikely to add much value to the club.