Newcastle United defender Achraf Lazaar has revealed that his agent continues to work on finding a potential escape route from St James’ Park for him ahead of the January transfer window.
Lazaar’s long-term fate at Newcastle has been clear for some time, with the Magpies sending the defender out on multiple loan spells in the last few campaigns as they sought to remove some of his £9,000-a-week wages from the wage bill. The 28-year-old is now entering the final few months of his deal at St James’ Park, meaning Newcastle have only the January window to cash in on him.
The defender was among a group of four players deemed surplus to requirements by Steve Bruce in the summer who the Magpies failed to offload, which saw their combined £100,000-a-week wages impact their ability to further strengthen the squad. Lazaar has been playing with the club’s under-23s in an attempt to keep himself fit ahead of the winter window.
Speaking to Passione Inter, the 28-year-old revealed that his agent is working on securing him a permanent move away from St James’ Park in January and admitted that he has a ‘lot to prove’ after his frustrating spell with the Magpies. He added he is not yet aware if he will be able to secure a move back to Italian football, having featured for four clubs in the Mediterranean country:
It’s not easy and I’m not finding space with the first team, but I have many reasons not to give up.
I still have one year on my contract and I still have a lot to prove, I’m playing matches with the second team and I’m always looking for motivation to stay on track with the utmost professionalism.
Italy is my home and I miss my family, I don’t know what will happen in January, if maybe I will go to Italy or elsewhere: the only thing that matters to me is to go to a team that allows me to play with continuity and confidence. My agent is taking care of it.
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These comments are unlikely to surprise anyone around St James’ Park and it has been clear for the last few years that Lazaar is never going to be able to force his way into the Magpies’ first team squad. Rafa Benitez brought him in to help boost Newcastle’s squad when they were in the Championship and it is a move which has simply not worked out, having played just 10 times for the first team.
Lazaar has wasted the potential prime years of his career getting very limited game-time with the Magpies and being sent out on short-term loan spells to the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Benevento. He needs to ensure that he gets a permanent move as soon as possible so that he can get back to playing regular football and settle down at a club where he is wanted.
The 28-year-old deserves credit, though, for maintaining his professionalism during this challenging period in his career; and whilst things have not worked out at Newcastle, there should be many supporters wishing him the best when he eventually secures a permanent move away from Tyneside.
