Newcastle Toons
Fansided

Newcastle United should scout players in the UEFA Nations League

By Durim Halimi

CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 06: The Adidas match ball with the competition logo is seen prior to the UEFA Nations League B group four match between Wales and Republic of Ireland at Cardiff City Stadium on September 6, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 06: The Adidas match ball with the competition logo is seen prior to the UEFA Nations League B group four match between Wales and Republic of Ireland at Cardiff City Stadium on September 6, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The UEFA Nations League began two days ago and Newcastle United should scout new talent for January.

The first-ever UEFA Nations League tournament began on Thursday and 16 matches have already been played across all four leagues, A through D. Newcastle United were wise observers of the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia as two of their summer signings represented Japan and South Korea in the tournament.

The Magpies would be wise to emulate this scouting tactic by turning their attention to some players from certain countries during this tournament for the January transfer window. Let us be honest, with Mike Ashley in charge it is quite evident that Newcastle cannot afford the majority of players from nations competing in leagues A and B.

With that being said, Newcastle should develop a scouting report to analyze players in leagues C and D. The nations placed in these leagues consist of mediocre sides and football minnows, however, there are two players that Newcastle should seriously consider for January.

Taulant Xhaka – Albania

Taulant Xhaka is the older brother of Arsenal’s midfielder, Granit Xhaka. Unlike his brother, Taulant Xhaka decided to play for Albania and he has played an integral role for the Balkan nation in the last few qualification cycles, including a good showing at the 2016 European Cup tournament.

At 27-years-old, the Albanian central midfielder is just beginning to reach his prime. Xhaka currently plays his football for FC Basel in Switzerland and he has extensive experience playing in the UEFA Champions League with the Swiss giants.

He may not be as talented as his brother, but he moves the ball around well and plays aggressive defense when recovering the ball in midfield. If you are interested in seeing Xhaka in action for Albania, follow Group 1 of League C to see how he performs against Israel and Scotland.

Alexandru Chipciu – Romania

Alexandru Chipciu is not a popular name in the footballing world, but that is perfectly fine. Newcastle have been known for bringing in quality players who were not well-known prior to moving to Tyneside and Chipciu would be a great addition to the squad.

The Romanian international is a dynamic midfielder who enjoys great pace and superior dribbling skills. Newcastle are quite competitive when it comes to having pace on their roster, but finding an attacking midfielder who can hold the ball with minimal support is something the Magpies lack.

The 29-year-old is currently on loan at Sparta Prague from Anderlecht. He has made 36 appearances for the Romanian national team and he has been called up for this new tournament. To see Chipciu in action for Romania,  keep an eye on Group 4 of League C, which is comprised of Serbia, Romania, Montenegro and Lithuania.