Uncertainty over future of Bentaleb
SCHEMER’S ATTITUDE QUESTIONED AS DEAL CONSIDERED BY TOON
“I WANT to be here next season, for the long term, not just this season. I want to be part of this club.”
This was Nabil Bentaleb’s statement of ambition after making his Newcastle United debut in the FA Cup against Oxford United in January.
Frozen out at Bundesliga outfit Schalke, the Algerian international was thrust straight into first-team action four days after signing at St James’ Park.
The 25-year-old has so far made 14 appearances in black and white and Magpies’ head coach Steve Bruce is weighing up whether to make the deal permanent.
However, a series of indifferent displays and the form of Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden means Bentaleb has struggled to win over the Toon Army.
The midfielder made his firstteam breakthrough at Tottenham in 2013 and spent three seasons in north London before making the move to Schalke.
It was in Gelsenkirchen where the promising young talent began to establish himself as a “creative” influence further up the pitch.
Toni Lieto, the Schalke correspondent for German magazine ‘Kicker,’ believes it is a role which suited the Algerian international albeit one he was prone to making costly errors in.
He said: “In this role he could be very important for the team. He had great ball handling but sometimes he took too many risks, sometimes resulting in goals.” Bentaleb scored 19 goals in 97 appearances for Schalke yet was removed from their first-team squad in March 2019 due to disciplinary reasons.
The former Tottenham midfielder was delivering on the pitch with his performances but it was his attitude off it which did not impress the coaching staff and supporters.
Lieto explained: “Bentaleb has been suspended several times because he was too undisciplined.
“He often spread a bad mood in the camp and he could not accept sitting on the bench.
“Because he has earned the reputation of not being a team player he was not so well received by the fans.”
Lieto believes the loan move to United was a chance to put Bentaleb in the “shop window” ahead of likely sale in the summer. The club’s leadership are understood to be “pleased” with the 25-year-old’s playing time during his spell on Tyneside. However, the ongoing repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic mean clubs across Europe face an uncertain transfer window.
If United decided against a multimillion pound deal for Bentaleb, does the Algerian international have any future at Schalke? Lieto answered: “It is difficult for Bentaleb to return at Schalke, especially since the midfield is staffed with Suat Serdar, Amine Harit, Weston McKennie, and Omar Mascarell.”
Given his previous experience with Tottenham and Schalke, is it a surprise the midfielder has not had a major influence on the Magpies’ second half of the season?
For Lieto, question marks surrounding Bentaleb are not centered upon his on-pitch ability.
He added: “In footballing terms, I trust him a lot more but he has to work on his behaviour. That often gets in his way.”
In footballing terms I trust him a lot more but he has to work on his behaviour. That gets in his way