Newcastle should focus on signing Rondon and Almiron in January

The rumor mill will be buzzing in a few weeks, but Newcastle United should focus on securing Salomon Rondon and signing Miguel Almiron.

Newcastle United are in dire need of bringing in some quality players to help elevate the status of the club and to avoid relegation battles going forward. Many names are being thrown out in the media, but there are two players that Newcastle should set as main priorities in January.

The first of these players is already on Tyneside, but he is on loan – Salomon Rondon. The next guy in line is the MLS star from Atlanta United – Miguel Almiron. Newcastle must do whatever it takes to secure the services of Rondon and sign Almiron to make the move across the Atlantic.

Permanent Contract for Rondon

The Venezuelan striker had a slow start to the season due to an inactive pre-season with West Brom, but since he has seen regular minutes on the pitch he has exceeded expectations for Newcastle. In his 12 Premier League appearances for the Magpies, Rondon has scored four goals and completed two assists. It is worth mentioning that Rondon’s four goals all came in the last six matches and he was the starter in all four of Newcastle’s victories this season.

In addition to his resurgence as a scorer, Rondon has shown Rafa Benitez and supporters that he is a true number nine based on the little things he does every game. The 29-year-old is one of the strongest forwards in the league as he wins almost every duel and does well in holding the ball away from opposition until more support arrives.

Moreover, he does his best to apply constant pressure to defenders and forces them put their keepers in awkward situations with a striker coming at them. This consolidation of scoring goals and having an unwavering work ethic is worthy of a permanent contract.

£23 Million for Almiron

Newcastle will have to break their transfer record if they wish to sign Miguel Almiron from Atlanta United, but the Paraguayan midfielder would be worth every penny. Yes, there is a large disparity between the quality of football in the MLS and in the Premier League, but Almiron dominated football in the United States and he is eager to challenge himself in England.

Ayoze Perez is currently Newcastle’s primary attacking midfielder, but he has been extremely inconsistent for Newcastle. There are some games where Perez is on fire and can score with his head and feet, and then there are times when he just runs around.

Almiron is the type of player who always strives to have a meaningful impact in games and this was reflected all season long by scoring 13 goals and completing 11 assists. In other words, Almiron played a key role in 24 of Atlanta’s 70 goals, which translates to one third of Atlanta’s attack. It might take him some time to adjust to English football, but he would certainly be a major upgrade when compared to Perez.