Newcastle United defender exit confirmed – Achraf Lazaar heads back to Italy

Newcastle United's Achraf Lazaar reacts while playing against Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 2019 Premier League Asia Trophy football tournament in Nanjing, in China's Jiangsu province on July 17, 2019. (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP) (Photo credit should read HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images)

Morocco international Lazaar was left out of United’s 25-man Premier League squad for the 2019/20 season – that despite being named in Rafa Benitez’s last year, and spending the second half of the season on loan with current head coach Steve Bruce, while at Sheffield Wednesday.

A statement on the Serie B side’s website confirmed the news. It reads: “The Cosenza Calcio Company announces that it has reached an agreement with the Newcastle United Football Club for the acquisition of the right to the sports performances of Achraf Lazaar.

“(Lazaar) born in Casablanca on January 22nd 1992, binds to the rossoblù club on a temporary basis until June 30th 2020.”

It ends with: “From today he is a new soccer player from Cosenza!”

Lazaar previously spent time on loan at Benevento.