Benitez: Almiron is adapting nicely
RECORD SIGNING ‘WILL SETTLE IN QUICKLY’
RAFA Benitez is confident that Miguel Almiron can settle quickly into the first team at Newcastle United.
The Toon boss is poised to hand Almiron his home debut against Huddersfield Town with fans set to welcome the Paraguay international with a flag display at St James’ Park.
Benitez knows that Almiron has a lot of things to adapt to at United but feels that he will Rafa Benitez do so quickly because he speaks the same language and can get his message across to him quickly during team talks.
In the past former boss Alan Pardew required a translator to help him with his tactical briefings, but Benitez is already getting good vibes from the exMLS playmaker.
When asked if Almiron was ready for his debut, he said: “He is doing well.
“I have said before that for any player it is not easy to go to another league. You have to get to know different team-mates and a new environment and it’s totally different. “You need time but he has one advantage, he can talk with us in Spanish. We have a lot of people here who can talk in Spanish. So when you explain things in tactics that you want to do it’s OK. He can understand.
“When we were following him we knew we were trying to sign a good lad and a good professional. He is a worker.
“He has those characteristics, he is listening to you to know what he has to do and he has ability.”
Meanwhile, Benitez has parked talks about his future to concentrate on keeping United in the Premier League.
The Magpies want Benitez to stay and have a five-year contract offer on the table for the ex-Liverpool and Napoli boss.
Benitez’s current deal expires at the end of the season and he has expressed an interest in a long-term project before.
But there is plenty of talking to be done once the club’s top-flight status is secured. He said: “The priority is to stay up and focus on the team.
“If we have any conversations I’m sure you will get the information.
“It’s not the priority – the priority is Huddersfield and getting the points to stay up.”
Benitez was pressed on his future again but said: “It is not the priority.
“The priority is to be ready and focus on the Huddersfield game. That’s it.”
When we were following him we knew we were trying to sign a good lad and a good professional