HOWE MUST BIN NEWCASTLE DUD WHO'S WORTH MORE THAN ANDERSON & VLACHODIMOS

Transfer business at Newcastle United has taken an unexpected turn in recent days, with the club desperately needing to sell players to avoid a potential points deduction for breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules.

Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak have both been touted with big-money moves away from St James’ Park, with Eddie Howe wanting to keep hold of his star players to mount another Champions League push this season.

As a result, the Magpies had to brutally part ways with two youngsters, just to meet the threshold, but making a tidy profit on the pair to satisfy the rules set out by the league.

Yankuba Minteh left Tyneside after never making a single first-team appearance, whilst academy graduate Elliot Anderson also departed his boyhood club to join Nottingham Forest - a sale that is the second-highest in Newcastle’s history.

The two transfers generated a combined £68m for the club, but Howe’s side will be able to generate even more profit should they offload one player who’s struggled in the Premier League in recent months.

Miguel Almiron's stats during 2023/24

After his sensational goalscoring run in 2022/23 which saw the attacker score eight goals in just nine Premier League games, Miguel Almiron failed to replicate any of his good form under Howe last season.

He's featured 42 times in all competitions but has only managed to find the back of the net on three occasions, failing to match the heights he's previously hit on Tyneside.

Although the £60k-per-week winger remains contracted with the Magpies until 2026, his recent troubles with his lack of creative output and injuries prove he's no longer at the level required, with Howe needing to brutally part ways with the winger.

Whilst the deadline for PSR has already passed, the club will need to keep offloading players to prevent a repeat of last week which has seen frantic and unneeded departures of two of the club’s best prospects.

However, despite his below-par campaign last season, he’s still attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, with journalist Keith Downie confirming that numerous sides are interested in signing the Paraguayan.

As a result of his drop in form, his market value has taken a huge hit, but it still remains higher than two players recently involved in the dramatic PSR transfer moves in recent days.

Miguel Almirons market value in 2024

Over five years on from his £20m move from Atlanta United in the MLS, Almiron has seen a steady decline in his value in recent years, with the attacker now only valued at just £17m, as per Transfermarkt. That being said, in recent months, PIF have placed a £30m asking price on his head according to reports.

However, despite a downturn in performances, he still holds a higher market value than new signing Odysseas Vlachodimos and the recently departed Anderson, who are both worth less than the fees paid - a loophole taken advantage of by Forest and the Magpies.

The Greek shot-stopper only boasts a figure of £6m according to Transfermarkt after his unsuccessful stint at the City Ground, which saw him start just five Premier League matches last season.

Meanwhile, Anderson is valued at £12.7m after his breakthrough season in the Premier League for Howe’s side in a season that presented the youngster with numerous opportunities following constant injury issues with multiple first-team members.

With Almiron now aged 30 and coming towards the back end of his professional career, it is pivotal that Howe and the PIF sell the attacker for as much as possible, with his price tag only going to decline in the years ahead.

He was an important figure for the club towards the end of the Ashley era and even for Howe in recent seasons, but unfortunately, the side has better alternatives in the final third, with the club needing to prevent any loss on the £20m fee they forked out for him by offloading the

Paraguayan ahead of next term.

2024-07-03T04:22:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd