This dynamic star’s potential was not realised by the Magpies.
Under Eddie Howe’s direction, Newcastle United had a fantastic season last year, giving Tyneside its most thrilling campaign in 20 years.
The Magpies truly did soar and outperformed the plan that would have been developed under the new PIF ownership, ending a 20-year drought from the Champions League with a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.
Few could have predicted the St. James’ Park neighborhood’s spectacular ascension to the top of the Premier League, finishing ahead of teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur. The wealthy change was meant to turn the neighbourhood around.
This was a result of the squad’s remarkable togetherness, which Howe’s leadership blended with each player’s awareness of their particular duties within the club as a whole.
The 71-point season total was the highest since Sir Bobby Robson’s tenure as manager in 2001–2002, when Alan Shearer was the team’s unstoppable goal scorer.
The backline’s tenacity served as the cornerstone of the feats, and it helped the team conclude the season with the league’s joint-meanest defence. This season, the tenacity has been maintained, albeit with a little weaker appearance.
The issue of not strengthening at the back over the summer is brought up by Sven Botman’s injury concerns, though, and while the Toon may lament recent missed opportunities, former Newcastle star Chancel Mbemba would provide the ideal mix of qualities to support the team’s efforts.
How much money was spent by Newcastle on Chancel Mbemba?
Mbemba, a defender from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was purchased by Newcastle for £8 million from Belgian club Anderlecht in 2015. The exciting prospect, who was 20 at the time, joined the club that summer along with Gini Wijnaldum and cAleksander Mitrovic.
It was an exciting move at first, but it did not turn out well for the team or the player. A young Mbemba failed to have an impact on the team during his 33 league games as the Toon slid steadily towards relegation.
Newcastle had a reason to sell Chancel Mbemba.
The 2015–16 season saw Newcastle suffer their second relegation under the ownership of the despised Mike Ashley despite a promising transfer window. While such a setback could have been seen as a good opportunity for a young talent like Mbemba to explore his skills in the second tier, he only flattered to deceive.
Despite his talent, the 5 foot 11-inch defender only appeared in 12 Championship games under Rafa Benitez, and thus it was not surprise when Porto signed him for £7 million in July 2018.
Shearer would note that the struggling ace appeared “out of sorts” during his time at the club, but his recent achievements show the skills at his disposal and how he may not have been given the time and attention to develop to the fullest.
How good is Chancel Mbemba currently?
138 appearances and two league championships later, he left Porto on a free transfer in 2022 and signed a contract with Marseille of the French Ligue 1.
The 69-cap international, who currently makes his living at the Orange Velodrome, has played in 57 games and astonishingly scored nine goals, including seven last season and one that stood out against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League.
The 29-year-old has already scored twice this year and provides an offensive component from defence that few players in his position can offer. Last month, Brighton & Hove Albion felt the force of his punch.
According to FBref, he has the core characteristics ideal for ambitious teams aiming for top-level success. He ranks among the top 1% of centre backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 11% for progressive passes, and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90.
Henri Saivet, a former colleague of the titan’s at Newcastle, lauded him for his “formidable” demeanour on the game. Given the style of play Howe has cultivated at United, the titan’s £64k per week salary would only strengthen a thin defence.
The defensive tandem of Botman and Fabian Schar performed admirably last season, but with Botman missing some time this year, it is very obvious where the team will place its transfer priority in the next summer.
Mbemba may have been the ideal choice to have saved the club millions of dollars given that Schar and the club captain Jamal Lascelles, who is frequently benched, both have contracts expiring in June.
Fabian Schar’s talent level?
Since Newcastle’s fortunes so magnificently turned around, Schar has been a man reborn; the Swiss is now included among the first names on the teamsheet after earlier being called a “walking mistake” by journalist John Gibson.Since joining the Magpies from Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna after his £3 million release clause was paid, the 31-year-old has appeared in 152 games. He made 36 Premier League starts last season, which was key to Newcastle having their greatest year in a very long time.
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