In a recent tweet, Italian journalist Mirko Di Natale claimed that Newcastle United are set to rival Tottenham Hotspur for Southampton ace Carlos Alcaraz who spent last season on loan at Juventus. It is understood that the Magpies have made an approach to acquire the services of the Argentine midfielder this summer.
Alcaraz’s Unimpressive Campaign In Italian Football
Alcaraz failed to impress during his loan spell at Juventus last season but managed to catch the eye at times for them in the middle of the park. The 21-year-old secured one assist but failed to find the back of the net in 12 matches for the Turin outfit in the previous campaign in various competitions.
The La Plata-born talent made most of his appearances as a substitute which could be why he averaged 1.1 shots, 0.2 key passes and 0.3 dribbles per game in Serie A. He was even accurate when distributing possession from midfield based on his pass completion rate of 87.7% in the Italian top-flight (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at his parent club Southampton will run out in the summer of 2028. Thus, Newcastle would have to make a convincing offer if they are serious about recruiting Alcaraz this off-season.
Newcastle United Are Set To Rival Tottenham Hotspur For Alcaraz: Is He Worth The Fight?
Alcaraz can create some space for himself to get a few strikes in at goal. The Argentine talent is a decent playmaker in the opposition half when he is playing with confidence on the field. He can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to make life tough for the opposition at the centre of the park.
Alcaraz is primarily a box-to-box midfielder but can also perform in the number ten position or as a centre-forward if told to do so. We can expect him to enhance the quality of Newcastle boss Eddie Howe’s match-day squad.
At 21, Alcaraz has the potential to be a future star in European football. Thus, he will be well worth the fight, so the Magpies should focus on getting a deal done for the Argentine talent in this transfer window. However, there are some question marks over whether he can adapt to the physical style and high intensity of English football.
