Loanee Barreca has the potential to be a better Newcastle signing than Lukaku

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Newcastle United signed Monaco left-back Antonio Barreca on transfer deadline day until the end of the season, as reported by Sky Sports.

The left side of the Magpies’ defence has been a weak spot all season, but Rafa Benitez must hope that the arrival of the former Italy Under 21 international Barreca plugs the gap.

Sky Sports report that Benitez had ear-marked left-back as a position he wanted to strengthen last month and that he previously had Lazio’s Belgian international Jordan Lukaku in line to take up that position.

But Sky Sports reported last week that the deal was aborted after Lukaku underwent a medical – for medical reasons, and not financial ones.

So the onus is now on Barreca to show that he can be even better for Newcastle than Lukaku would have been – and there is reason for Magpies supporters to be cheerful on that score.

Barreca joined Monaco on a five-year deal last summer, to considerable excitement about bringing a promising young defender to a club that has been going places in recent seasons.

But the season has panned out to be a shambolic one – due to factors that go way above Barreca’s head – and it has been no place for a youngster trying to settle in at a new club in a different country.

So Newcastle can offer him more regular games to show his quality – and stronger defensive discipline than Lukaku generally does – and prove he is better than the Belgian in any case.