'So calm' - Newcastle United supporters told how surprise summer signing could be just what Eddie Howe needs
Aladji Bamba became the latest new addition to the Newcastle United squad on Friday when he completed a £35m move from Ligue 1 club Monaco.
Newcastle United supporters have been given an invaluable insight into how new signing Aladji Bamba could help resolve one of the Magpies’ big issues during his first season at St James Park.
The France Under-20 midfielder became the latest new addition to Eddie Howe’s ranks last week when he signed a long-term deal after Newcastle agreed a reported £35m deal with Ligue 1 club Monaco. The move comes after Bamba enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Stade Louis II by making 25 appearances at senior level after making his first-team debut as a late substitute in a 3-1 win against Le Havre.
He will now take his place in an increasingly new look Magpies midfielder that will be tasked with helping Howe’s side produced a much improved season after they ended last season in the bottom half of the Premier League. One major issue that hampered attempts to progress was United’s inability to find a way through opposing sides sitting deep - but one of Bamba’s former Monaco coaches believes the young French midfielder has already shown he has shine against defensive-minded opponents.
Former Monaco technical coach Abel Lorincz told Sky Sports: "He was so calm on the ball and gave a very good impression. He came through the B team at Monaco and when he joined the first team in training he impressed the coaches enough to give him some chances. The game against Auxerre was a very good first sign of things to come. By the end of the season, he was a regular. He has the physicality, he has the aerial ability.
"He was switching the play against a team that was sat mainly in a low block. I think his main attribute is playing against a low block, those tiny little passes to break down a low defence, he is really good at it, good at turning under pressure. You know, there are not players around, especially in France, which is a league with a lot of physicality, where the game can move up and down the pitch very quickly, who have that ability to control the tempo of the game in the way that he does."
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