Newcastle supporters have always loved a flair player such as David Ginola, and whilst Alan Shearer wouldn’t put himself in that bracket, the striker would surely not have scored as many goals for Kevin Keegan’s side if it weren’t for the set up play of the aforementioned.
Laurent Robert and Hatem ben Arfa are two other silky players that spring to mind when thinking of those who would get the St. James’ Park faithful off their seats.
Shearer remains a darling of the terraces he stood on as a boy, and he clearly knows a thing or two about what type of player would excite Newcastle’s long-suffering supporters.
Under the stewardship of Eddie Howe, the Magpies have come on leaps and bounds, but they could do with a wide man to unlock the meanest defences, much as Ginola used to do.
Catalan daily, Sport, have reported that Barcelona star, Raphinha, is on Newcastle’s radar this summer, and with money seemingly no object for Amanda Staveley and Co., there’s every reason to believe the club could get their man.
Back in 2021, Shearer noted on a live Amazon Prime broadcast, cited by The Boot Room, that the player – then playing for Leeds – was “very good on the ball. What impressed me also was his work rate, his ability to get back and help out, do his bit defensively as well.”
The Brazilian hasn’t made quite the impact expected at the Camp Nou, so a move back to the Premier League may be one to suit all parties.