According to The Chronicle, Achraaf Lazaar has recently been told to stay away from the Benton training ground and look for another club – despite offering to step in and solve our desperate need for a new left-back.
The 28-year-old arrived on Tyneside in the summer of 2016, but has spent the majority of his time at the club out on loan – of those was actually under Steve Bruce at Sheffield Wednesday – or training with our U-23’s.
The Moroccan is believed to be ‘baffled’ at the club’s decision to not only sell him but keep him away from Benton, with him now training on his own in Sardinia instead.
Here’s a snippet from Lee Ryder’s piece for The Chronicle:
“Newcastle United’s transfer listed Morocco international Achraf Lazaar has offered to return to the club and solve Steve Bruce’s left-back problem.”
“But the former Palermo man has been told to remain training on his own in Sardinia for now.”
“Lazaar is believed to be baffled by United’s insistence that he stays away while still picking up around £35,000 per week.”
You have to feel for Lazaar – he’s never really been given a chance at the club and will ultimately be written off as a ‘flop’ – but you have to also question why nor Benitez or Bruce ever trusted him, despite our desperate lack of left-back options.
The fact he’s also picking up £35,000 per week to do very little also means he’s hardly been that hard done to – even if Bruce’s response to his latest offer appears to have been a brutal one.
He’s never been given a run in the side, but injuries and uninspiring loan spells have clearly convinced Steve Bruce that he is not up to it at Premier League level.
I expect Lazaar to leave the club this summer, with us looking to cash in on him before his contract expires in 2021 – as well as getting his £140,000 per month contract off the wage bill.
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