Newcastle United’s ‘divisive’ £10m transfer and why Miguel Almiron’s legacy deserves respect

Miguel Almiron’s six-year stay on Tyneside has come to an end with a move back to Atlanta United having been completed. Almiron had seen his place in the pecking order slip this season, with Jacob Murphy’s stunning form of late helping to catapult Newcastle United back into European contention.

Almiron made just one Premier League start this season and had to settle for limited minutes off the bench in recent weeks. His legacy at the club will be divisive, with stats not his friend, however, he should be remembered as someone who always gave his all, gave supporters a few memorable moments and of course, that unplayable month.

Almiron’s last Newcastle United appearance and Eddie Howe’s brilliant gesture

A late cameo against Southampton on Saturday was the last time Almiron featured in a black-and-white shirt, one that almost saw him sign off his time at the club with a goal.

Post-match, the Paraguayan was greeted with a full away end chanting his name as Eddie Howe pushed him to the front of the group to soak in the chants. Speaking about that moment, Howe said: “It wasn’t planned. It was just the crowd were very much embracing him and giving him a lot of love.

“Miggy's not that kind of character that's got a huge ego that absorbs all the attention, but I just felt it was imperative that we got him to the front and everyone acknowledged he's been unbelievable for us. His attitude, his commitment, the way he's played.

“I'm not saying it's a goodbye, we don't know what's going to happen, but I just thought it was a great moment for him.”

Almiron’s ‘emotional’ farewell

However, Almiron has now sealed a move back to Atlanta United with Newcastle set to receive around £10m for the winger. Almiron is one of the club’s longest-serving current players having joined in January 2019 under Rafa Benitez for £21m - a fee that broke the record for the club’s highest transfer fee paid for a player.

The 64-cap international was an important player in the squad and someone whose departure will have had a big effect behind-the-scenes. It’s not surprising, therefore, that, as picked up by Pete Graves, that there were ‘emotional scenes’ at the club’s training ground on Tuesday as Almiron bid farewell ahead of his return to the MLS.

Taking to X, Graves posted: ‘Told there were emotional scenes as Miggy said goodbyes to players and staff at #nufc. A popular figure around the club. The right winger now close to sealing his return to former #MLS club Atlanta United.’

Almiron’s beginnings and *that* purple patch

Few players have straddled the pre-takeover/post-takeover Newcastle United lines like Almiron. Much was made of his signing in 2019, not just because he became the club’s record purchase, but also because it felt like he was the final piece in Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United jigsaw.

And for that first half a season, he was just that. Alongside Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon, the Magpies had a genuinely exciting front line with Almiron a big part of that.

However, as Benitez’s time on Tyneside came to an end, much was made of his lack of goals. That monkey was eventually brushed off his back in December 2019 with a strike against Crystal Palace, but unfortunately for Almiron, it was never a reputation he was able to fully get rid of.

October 2022 will always be remembered as the month of Almiron and one that in years to come will be greeted with ‘streets won’t forget’ posts on social media. Whilst the flippant nature of those posts will raise a few chuckles, they shouldn’t dilute what was a month like no other and one that will take some topping not only from an individual player, but from the club as a whole.

Fulham, Brentford, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa were victims of Almiron’s goalscoring form, with Manchester United the only side to avoid the wrath of the Paraguayan and Newcastle in that month. Even as October concluded, Almiron still had a goal against Southampton and an assist against Chelsea in his locker before the World Cup brought the Premier League to a mid-season halt.

At time of writing, the Magpies have won seven of their last eight Premier League matches. Back in that run in 2022, they won eight of nine matches, with goalless draw at Old Trafford the only blemish in that run.

Almiron was almost unplayable at that time. But he had one more big moment ahead of him…

That PSG goal

For months, all the talk surrounding Newcastle United was about who would score their first Champions League goal upon their two-decade return to the competition. Having struck a blank at the San Siro, PSG were the unfortunate side to come to St James’ Park with Almiron’s goal lifting the roof off the famous old stadium to be greeted with a noise from 50,000 people that hadn’t been heard maybe before and certainly ever since.

Almiron’s legacy at Newcastle United

30 goals and 12 assists in 223 appearances in all competitions is certainly not the type of return that will see Almiron leave his mark in any of the statisticians history books. But football is about emotion, not stats, and very few players have delivered emotional reactions from supporters like Almiron did during his six years at the club. Vamos!

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