Miguel Almirón on verge of leaving Newcastle

Daniel Wales and Joe Buck discuss Miguel Almirón’s imminent departure from Newcastle United.

Transcript

00:00One player who, of course, came on towards the end of the Southampton game was Miguel Almarón,

00:06in what was probably his last appearance in a Newcastle shirt.

00:10Nearly got a goal at the end as well.

00:12It would have been a fitting finale for him,

00:14but now it would seem that his move back to Atlanta United in the MLS is going ahead.

00:20Joe, it's a case of Miguel Almarón where a really likeable person, character,

00:25always gave 100%, of course, looked like a world-beater when he first came in under Rafa

00:30next to Perez Rondon, then had the purple patch under Eddie Howe in the Champions League season.

00:35But for the most part, despite the hard work, his end product never quite matched up, did it?

00:42No, it didn't, you're right.

00:44The fact he had to wait 11 months for that first goal suggests that that was a warning sign early

00:49on. But yeah, as you say, he's a likeable player. As you saw the scenes at the wee end with Eddie

00:54Howe pushing him to the front to get all the plaudits, it was really good scenes.

00:57And you could see that the 3,000 fans there were appreciative of everything he's done for six

01:01years. You know, he came in as the club's record buyer. Obviously, it didn't last long. Joe Linton

01:05came in sort of six months later for £40 million. But at that point, he was the most expensive

01:09transfer. And you know, for £20 million or £21 million, the signing for six years, I think it's

01:14been a good deal. They're going to get sort of £10 million back as well. I think it's good.

01:20He'll be remembered fondly. I think, as you say, his goals and assist stats maybe don't

01:24tally up to what you might have expected. But he always gives his all and that's what you

01:30hope from any player. And as you say, it would have been fitting on Saturday had he scored.

01:34It would have been, I mean, if he'd scored that with his right foot, that shot, that would have

01:37been, it would have been a bit weird. It would have been like, where's this armour I've been

01:41for six years? But yeah, he'll be someone that's looked back on, I think, semi-fondly. I don't

01:45think he'll go down as one of the club legends, but he might, you know, people will appreciate

01:50what he did for the club. And as you say, you'll always have that month, October 2022, where he

01:55was unplayable. So yeah, very good servant, always gives his all and Newcastle have done well to get

02:01the money. You know, they're going, he'll leave with his head high and yeah, with the best wish

02:05of the most fans. Indeed, yes. Now, I mean, if you look actually at some of the goals he scored,

02:09I think it's about 30 goals he scored for Newcastle in his six years there. Some of them are really,

02:14really good goals. And you'd think if you take that in isolation, you'd think, well,

02:17blimey, what a player he was. And then of course, you've got that moment against Paris Saint-Germain,

02:21you know, the first goal back in the Champions League for so many years. So there are some

02:25moments of him where you just have to stand back and applaud because fair play to him. He delivered

02:31when it, sometimes when it did matter for Newcastle, but as you say, yeah, he will leave

02:34with his head held high. I mean, obviously we've mentioned as well, previously, does it leave

02:40Newcastle slightly short in the right wing area? Yes, it does. Because if you've only got Jacob

02:44Milby really to cover in there, I mean, yes, you could have Gordon play there. Yes, you could have

02:48Barnes play there, but it's probably unlikely that anyone's going to come in, isn't it? At this stage,

02:53at least at the moment, things can change, but at least that's what the message is at the moment.