Newcastle United head coach Steve McClaren believes that hot-headed forward Aleksandar Mitrovic has what it takes to become one of the Premier League’s top strikers.
Mitrovic moved to Newcastle from Anderlecht for £12.7million in the summer amid much fanfare, but, despite scoring three goals, the burly Serbian has often struggled to have a meaningful impact on games, leading to him losing his place in the Magpies’ starting XI to experienced frontman Papiss Cisse.
A major hinderance to Mitrovic’s progress on Tyneside has been his fiery temperament. The 22-year-old was lucky to escape red in his first two appearances for Newcastle, and he was duly sent for an early bath in the Magpies’ home clash with Arsenal in August, effectively shattering his side’s hopes of gaining a positive result.
Despite being in and out of the side due to a mixture of indiscipline and poor form, an injury to Papiss Cisse in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa means that Mitrovic will be handed the opportunity to lead the line for the Magpies in their pivotal Boxing Day showdown with Everton.
McClaren is aware that Mitrovic is a young star who requires special treatment, but the Toon boss is adamant that it’s only a matter of time till the gifted Serbian maverick finds his feet in a black-and-white shirt.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the 54-year-old said:
“He needs to score more goals. But he was bought as a development [player] and someone with potential, and that’s how he’s playing at the moment.
“We’re hoping he can make an impact this season, the quicker the better. He’s been boosted by the goal he got at Spurs. You don’t know with young players, we’re just hoping he has those spells where he is very effective.
“He needs to hold that emotion and control it, but we should never take the aggression out of his game. He has bullied defenders – he did that against Chelsea [in September]. That’s what we want from him.
There are a lot of things he has to work on and get right. He’s got talent and all the ingredients, he just needs to pull it all together.
McClaren paid Mitrovic a compliment of the highest order by comparing him to prolific Everton marksman Romelu Lukaku, who is chasing Jamie Vardy’s goalscoring record after netting in eight consecutive Premier League games:
“I remember Lukaku when he was a young lad and he was the same size he is now.
‘He’s every effective. He’s had to develop and now he’s looking like a real deal, the complete centre-forward.
Mitro is developing and is a few years behind, but Mitro has his own game. He needed to come out [of the side] for a few games.
“He’s done that now and has his focus and energy and intensity back. He has shown that [coming off the bench] in the last two games.”
