Lazaro aiming to play his way into Magpies’ starting side

NEWCASTLE United loan star Valentino Lazaro is determined to play his way into the starting XI before the end of the season.

The Magpies signed the Austrian international on loan from Italian giants Inter Milan in January, but the enforced break during the coronavirus lockdown has meant the wideman has not been able to build up a head of steam on Tyneside just yet.

However, he caught the eye with a stunning goal in United’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth on Wednesday – his second in a Newcastle shirt – and is hoping performances from the bench like that will persuade Steve Bruce to give him more gametime in the remaining matches.

“I wanted to show that I can help the team,” Lazaro said of his second-half cameo at the Vitality Stadium.

“I wasn’t really happy with the time that I was given before.

“I felt that I deserved more, but at the end of the day it’s always the manager’s decision and we were 3-0 up and playing well, so he did a good job too.

“I just wanted to show myself basically and integrate myself into the team.”

Lazaro has already played in several roles down the right-hand side for the Magpies, starting on the right-hand side of defence in the defeats at Arsenal and Crystal Palace.

But it is in a more advanced role where fans have perhaps seen the best of the 24-year-old – with the well-timed run to receive Jonjo Shelvey’s through ball before a superb finish at Bournemouth in midweek, underlining his attacking abilities.

He almost bagged a second, seeing a shot cannon back off the crossbar just minutes after his goal, with Isaac Hayden putting the rebound into the stands.

“In the last few years I’ve played a lot at right-back and right wing-back but since growing up my strengths have been in the offense and I think it was around West Brom that I started up there,” he told the Magpies’ official website.

“Two goals in not many minutes is a good statistic but I just wanted to help the team, because that is always above every single, individual player.

“To score two goals in just a few minutes would have been very nice.

“I think I’ve shown I was eager to show myself and have an impact on the game, even though it was already 3-0, I wanted to show myself and force myself into the starting XI.

“If I keep working like that then I hope I will get some more chances, but I’m very happy that the team played really great.”