Newcastle interested in Rafik Belghali - Report
A fresh transfer rumour has appeared from Hellas Verona, as versatile full-back Rafik Belghali is the latest to be linked.
The Algerian is thought to be available for around £12m. We’d assume this deal is a backup to a move for Dedić, though, with both able to play on either side of full-back.
Belghali is a curious player for a few reasons, most notably for his versatility. While right back is his primary role, he’s played on the right side of midfield, and as a defensive midfielder.
It’s worth noting that Hellas Verona were relegated to Serie B last season, so holding onto top players is a much harder thing to do. With the state of Italian football finances, a player that holds value is likely to be first out the door.
Newcastle in the mix
Rafik Belghali has mostly been linked to clubs in Italy, with Roma, Inter, and Juventus having had contact. Newcastle appear to be the first English club to add him to their list, as Tuttomercato report.
With rumours of the fee being around £12m, he would likely be a squad player and a useful ad
With reports that Newcastle are “closing in” on at least one signing, fans are starting to expect news soon. Rafik Belghali doesn’t feel like a deal that will happen soon, with no indication that any sort of club-to-club talks have even started.
Would Rafik Belghali fit Newcastle?
Belghali, on paper, is the type of full-back that Jaissle will want. He’s capable of the overlap, which is crucial for our new attacking style. Belghali wants to carry the ball and get crosses into the box.
He’d be a similar mould to what we are looking for with Dedić, though Dedić is the better of the two from a stats point of view, especially when it comes to carrying the ball. Belghali's defensive duels % is also fairly low at around 37%.
Overall, he sits somewhere between Dedić and Livramento in terms of overall performance. Given his fee, however, he doesn’t feel like he’d be the club’s primary target, and if he does sign, he may be used for his versatility.
It's early days for this rumour, and we’ll need to see if the English press pick up on the story before we get too carried away.
