£30m asking price and Arsenal interest make for double Almiron blow for Newcastle

By Sam Preston

It is no secret that Miguel Almiron is Newcastle United’s number one January target, but the Daily Mirror report that there are still hurdles for the Magpies to jump if they want to sign the Atlanta playmaker.

They claim that the asking price for the midfielder will cost over £30m, which is far in excess of Newcastle’s current transfer record and the kind of money that Mike Ashley has never spent during his time in the St James’ Park boardroom.

On top of that, Arsenal are interested in Almiron’s signature and it is tough to see him electing for a relegation battle at a club that is still at war off the pitch instead of joining Unai Emery’s Gunners revolution.

Newcastle have made much of the running in the hunt for Almiron, perhaps hoping that moving early to exploit a relatively untapped market could see them steal a march and secure a deal within their price range.

(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

But now their hopes have suffered a blow and the onus goes back onto Rafa Benitez and perhaps more concerningly, Ashley, to stump up the cash and put together a package that can convince Almiron to move to the north east.

Otherwise, it could be back to the drawing board as Arsenal lay an offer on the table that Newcastle can’t match.