BREAKING: Newcastle confirm the £4.5m signing of Atletico Madrid defender
Breaking news this lunch time as Newcastle United confirm the £4.5m signing of defender Javier Manquillo, who signs on a three year deal from Atletico Madrid.
The 23-year old former Spanish U-21 International can operate at right-back or left-back and becomes Rafa Benitez 4th signing of the summer.
Manquillo spent last season on loan at bitter rivals Sunderland, playing 22 times, and has also spent his previous two seasons on loan at Marseille and Liverpool.
Here's what the man himself and Rafa Benitez have had to say following confirmation of his signing today:
Javier Manquillo:
"I'm very happy to be here. From the first moment that Rafa Benítez called me, I just knew that I had to come here, to such a big club.
"I'm very happy with the challenge ahead.
"I've come here to work hard and give everything on and off the pitch. Hopefully then everything will go in the right direction."
Rafa Benitez
"Like Jacob Murphy, Manquillo is another young player. He can play both sides of the defence and he has a lot of motivation because he knows he has a point to prove."
"He can still improve but he has played for Spain at under-21 level and that is because he is a good player, so hopefully he will show that form here."
As Benitez alludes to, Manquillo has a 'point to prove' after struggling to make an impact in England during loan spells with Sunderland last season and Liverpool in 2014/15.
He failed to break through at Atletico Madrid, but arrives at a good age, with Premier League experience and can offer useful versatility to the NUFC squad.
He has a lot to prove, but the arrival of Manquillo for just £4.5m appears to be a relatively low-risk signing and a player, like Ciaran Clark and DeAndre Yedlin, that Benitez will look to get the best out of.
Welcome Javier!
https://twitter.com/NUFC/status/888367976218591232
