ALMIRON IS SETTLING IN NICELY – HAYDEN
ISAAC BELIEVES MIGUEL IS SHOWING HIS TALENT, BUT INSISTS PATIENCE IS KEY
Miguel Almiron’s letting his feet do the talking as he settles in at Newcastle United.
Almiron joined the club from Major League Soccer club Atlanta United on transfer deadline day in January.
The deal, with add-ons, could United up to £21million.
Almiron, in the team beaten 2-0 by West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday, has already established himself in Rafa Benitez’s starting XI.
However, Isaac Hayden, his midfield colleague, believes that Almiron still needs more time to adjust to the demands of Premier League football.
“Of course people need to be patient,” said 23-year-old Hayden.
“He’s come from the MLS – you can see his talent and what he brings – but to do it on a consistent basis in the Premier League is a completely different thing.
“He had an electric start against Huddersfield, and was very, very good against Burnley again, but it was three games in a week, and especially when realistically this is really his pre-season still, to be coming in and playing with this intensity and at this level is a completely different story.
“But I thought he did well (against West Ham), he showed his talent and touches.”
Hayden doesn’t believe Paraguay international Almiron, the club’s most expensive signing since the £16million capture of Michael Owen in 2005, is feeling any added pressure because of his price tag.
“Nobody talks about that (his fee) in the dressing room – everyone treats him as a normal member of the squad,” said Hayden.
“I think when you start to play and train, the price tag goes out of the window.
“Nobody’s really bothered. Nobody’s really fussed about that. And, let’s be honest, whatever the fee was, that amount of money in the Premier League these days really isn’t much.
“So, with all due respect to him, because he’s a great player, but when you look at West Ham, they’ve got (Felipe) Anderson, £50million. We just get on with it.”
Almiron, a Spanish speaker, is still learning English.
Asked what the 24-yearold was like in the dressing room, Hayden said: “He’s fine. He’s quite quiet and shy.
“He’s had to come into a new dressing room and he’s still working on the language, but you can see he’s settling in really nicely and he’s a lovely lad.
“Hopefully, the more pitch time he gets, the better he’ll be.”
Almiron sang for his team-mates last month.
Hayden said: “He passed that challenge! He did well. It’s always funny.
“He’s a fully-fledged member of the team now.
“I sang a Miguel song, a little R&B classic. It was OK, not the best.”