United’s new boy is a big talent who is looking to find his way in football
THE BLUES VIEW OF THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK, LOANEE KENEDY
NEWCASTLE announced the loan signing of Kenedy on Tuesday evening as Rafa Benitez made his first foray into the January transfer market.
The 21-year-old joins on a loan deal from Chelsea until the end of the season and is expected to provide competition for both the leftback and left-wing roles.
Kenedy has been a bit-part player for his parent club this season but possesses undoubted skill and talent.
A loan spell at Watford failed to work out last season and it is imperative for all parties that he makes a success of his move at Newcastle.
The Magpies are in a relegation scrap and while Kenedy boasts immense talent, plenty of question marks remain about him.
Does he have the discipline and temperament for a relegation fight? Is he ready to make an impact in the Premier League? What is his best position?
We spoke to Football London’s Chelsea correspondent Oliver Harbord to get the lowdown on all these issues, and to give Newcastle fans an insight into what they can expect from the former Brazil
under-20 international WHAT TYPE OF PLAYER IS HE? WHAT CAN NEWCASTLE FANS EXPECT?
Firstly, I’ve got to say he is a very talented player.
He is very skillful on the ball I’m sure you saw the clip that went around after the Norwich FA Cup replay game, with the little nutmeg he did.
They are obviously getting a player that is full of quality.
It is just about how he puts himself about on the pitch now, really, because he has never really been given that chance by Chelsea.
He has not made a Premier League appearance this season, he has not really fit into the style Conte wants from his left-wingbacks.
You are looking at a really talented player, but one who is still finding his way in the Premier League. HE PREVIOUSLY WENT ON LOAN AT WATFORD AND STRUGGLED TO CEMENT A PLACE IN THE TEAM. WHY DIDN’T THAT WORK OUT AND DO YOU FEEL HE IS READY TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF HIS TIME AT NEWCASTLE?
One thing you have got to say about this move now is, as far as his Premier League career goes, this really has to work out for him.
He had that loan move at Watford and only played about 20 minutes of one game. Walter Mazzarri didn’t have a place for him in his side and he went back to Chelsea after just six months when he was supposed to be there for a season and it just didn’t work out for him.He must do well at Newcastle if he wants to stick around the Premier League and England. NEWCASTLE ARE OBVIOUSLY IN A RELEGATION
SCRAP, AND RAFA BENITEZ NEEDS PLAYERS THAT ARE UP FOR THE FIGHT. IS KENEDY THE TYPE OF CHARACTER WHO FITS THAT BILL? He was thrown off the pre-season tour in Singapore this season so that hasn’t helped him either. I think that remains the biggest question mark over him. I think he is yet to really show that dogged determination that I guess Newcastle fans need to see going into a really difficult part of the season. This is going to make or break him in that respect because he hasn’t been put under that sort of pressure before. Chelsea fans are yet to see whether he can cope with that pressure and obviously Newcastle fans are hoping that he can.
But there are question marks over his temperament and whether he can be the player that comes out and really pulls his sleeves up before every game and works as hard as he possibly can for the team. HE CAN PLAY AS A LEFTBACK OR A LEFT-WINGER, WHAT IS HIS BEST POSITION WHERE NEWCASTLE CAN REALLY GET THE BEST OUT OF HIM?
To get the best success out of him I think you need to play him in a more attacking role.
I think that is one of the reasons why it hasn’t worked here under Antonio Conte because he could only play as a left-wing-back here and he is not a defensive-minded player, particularly, so that is why he has never played a Premier League match this season.
Antonio Conte hasn’t really trusted him to have a defensive mind. He is not the same sort of player as Marcos Alonso or Victor Moses.
I think Newcastle should use him in a more attacking role because I think that is where you will get the best out of him. IN YOUR OPINION, DO YOU THINK KENEDY’S LOAN MOVE WILL WORK OUT TO BE A SUCCESS FOR BOTH CLUBS, AS WELL AS THE PLAYER? It remains to be seen, really. There are question marks over his character and whether he can show himself to be a player Newcastle really need him to be in this part of the season.
It is one for Chelsea to really look at. They have got a reputation for loan players and he is one, I am sure, if it doesn’t work out at Newcastle they will be looking to offload.
Even if it does come off for him at Newcastle, if they can afford to buy him then that is one that could work for both parties.
I want it to work for him because I think he is a very talented player.
And it is going to be a great show of his character if he can come out of this having played a major part in keeping Newcastle in the Premier League.