According to a recent report from Corriere Fiorentino (via The Newcastle Chronicle), Newcastle United made a move for Marko Pjaca in the latter stages of the January transfer window. The 23-year-old currently plays his football at Italian outfit Fiorentina on loan from Serie A giants Juventus, although struggles for regular football seemingly attracted the interest of Magpies manager Rafa Benitez.
And that’s because a recent report from Corriere Fiorentino (via The Newcastle Chronicle) suggests that the North East giants sought a deal for the winger in the last knockings of the transfer window – a deal that, had they got done alongside that of Miguel Almiron, would have sent St James’ Park into raptures ahead of the rest of the season.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, the addition of Paraguay international Almiron on Deadline Day was met with widespread delight by Newcastle supporters, what with owner Mike Ashley finally breaking the club’s long-standing transfer record to equip Benitez with a signing of pure quality.
And that’s because the 24-year-old had shone throughout his spell in Major League Soccer, bagging 22 goals and laying on 21 assists in just 70 appearances for Atlanta United, equating to a direct contribution every 136 minutes of action.
And with Newcastle somewhat struggling for that creative and forward-thinking number ten, what with Ayoze Perez a more defensive-minded attacker who doesn’t have that flair, it was a move that was needed to enable Benitez to take this Magpies team forward – it was a signing that both he and indeed the supporters so desperately needed.
Almiron’s addition itself was enough to supremely delight plenty of Newcastle fans, but had they also been able to lure the hugely talented Pjaca to the North East as well, it would have gone some way to sending St James’ Park into raptures.
The 23-year-old may have struggled for regular football on loan at Fiorentina this season with only eight Serie A starts to his name so far, just one of which has come since the start of December, but there is a reason that Juventus lured the winger away from Dinamo Zagreb back in 2016 – and that’s because he has got serious ability.
The Croatia international, who has been capped 23 times by his country already, shone in his homeland at Dinamo Zagreb with 28 goals and 13 assists in 91 appearances for the club, reaching double figures in both of his full seasons in the Croatian capital to underline his credentials in front of goal.
And he even earned 20 appearances for the Old Lady in his first season in Turin to suggest that he is very much in Massimiliano Allegri’s thoughts, although loan spells at Schalke and now Fiorentina suggests that he still has work to do to hone in his skills to thus become a regular at the Juventus Stadium.
Nonetheless, Pjaca is clearly an exciting player with much potential – and with Newcastle somewhat lacking in genuine flair down the flanks, it’s a deal that would have surely been well received by Magpies faithful.
In fact, that alongside the signing of Almiron would have gone some way to sending St James’ Park into raptures.
Newcastle fans… what do you think? Let us know!
