MIGGY POP
Almiron backed to be a massive hit with Toon
MIGUEL ALMIRON will be an instant hit with Newcastle fans because he “wears his heart on his sleeve”.
So says the man who sold him to Toon, former Tottenham director of football administration and now Atlanta United president, Darren Eales (right).
Almiron, 25, became Newcastle’s most expensive-ever signing when manager Rafa Benitez convinced owner Mike Ashley to lay out £21million on the Paraguay attacking midfielder.
But Eales reckons ‘Miggy’, who helped Atlanta win the MLS Cup two months ago, will be worth every penny, starting tonight when he makes his debut against Wolves.
Eales said: “He’s an unbelievable
person. He smiles all the time. From that perspective of engaging with the fans, he was an instant favourite because of his demeanour.
“On the pitch, he is nonstop, perpetual motion.
He is faster with the ball than without it.
He reminds me of Gareth Bale that way.
“When Gareth picked the ball up, he always seemed to be quicker when he had the ball and Miggy is like that with his pace.
“He is an exciting, attacking player, particularly in transition. But he works really hard in defending. It’s why he is really suited to the Premier League.
“For us as a club, to have our star player be the first person tackling back, and running 60 yards back to nick it out of touch, was great.
“So going to Newcastle, he is going to fit in straight away because fans want a player who is going to wear his heart on his sleeve, and who is there doing the dirty stuff just as much as the attacking stuff.
“In Miggy they get the best of both. I think he’s going to be really successful.” Benitez has had trouble in the past convincing Ashley to make major outlays on players, something Eales was well aware of. But now the transfer is complete, he thinks all sides are winners in the deal.
Eales added: “I was sceptical, given his (Ashley’s) track record, that we would get to a figure that was acceptable.
“But to be fair to Newcastle, in the end it was a good, hard negotiation.
“Clearly, Rafa wanted the player and they had done their homework. They had done their due diligence and thought, ‘OK, we’re going to push the button on this one’.”
Benitez says he feels no pressure for signing Almiron for what could amount to £21m.
He said: “After five windows when we are in profit, I do not have any pressure.”
And the Toon boss is also interested in a permanent deal for Salomon Rondon.
The Venezuela striker, on loan from West Brom, has a release clause of £16.5m, and Benitez said: “It is an easy decision. Everybody can see he is doing well.”