Three reasons Newcastle must hijack Everton’s bid to sign Ryan Fredericks
According to reports in The Irish Sun, Fulham defender Ryan Fredericks could join Everton a free transfer this summer.
The 25-year-old has been one of the Championship club’s most consistent performers at right-back this season and the Cottagers currently lie in third position in the table as they look to win promotion to the Premier League under Slavisa Jokanovic.
The Irish Sun reports achieving that means they could hold of highly-rated 17-year-old Ryan Sessegnon, but Fredericks could be on his way out whatever happens given his contract is due to run out at the end of the season and with no sign yet that he is going to extend his stay.
The former England U19 international would likely provide competition for Seamus Coleman and Jonjoe Kenny at Goodison Park, as he looks to forge a top flight career for himself.
Meanwhile, their Premier League rivals Newcastle United can move a step closer to ensuring they stay up when they host Huddersfield Town at St James’ Park on March 31, with a win taking them to 35 points and a step closer to safety.
Manager Rafa Benitez will already be thinking about how he can strengthen his squad this summer if they remain in the top flight, and if he is looking to add more competition for places within his team then Fredericks should certainly be on his radar.
Here are three reasons the Magpies must hijack Everton’s bid to sign the right-back…
While Yedlin has established himself as the Magpies’ first-choice right-back in recent months and impressed the fans with some of his displays, he perhaps doesn’t have the required competition in the squad that Rafa Benitez would like him to have.
They do have Jesus Gamez and Javier Manquillo that can play there, but the former has featured for just 217 minutes for the Toon this season and his contract is due to expire this summer, while the latter has largely featured at left-back when he has played, and is now providing back-up to both Yedlin and Paul Dummett.
Adding Fredericks to the Newcastle squad would certainly give the American more competition and push him to perform at a higher level, and that can only be a positive thing with the former England U19 international also being determined to make a name for himself in the top flight.
Fredericks has been one of Fulham’s most impressive players in their push for promotion this season, and he has provided nine assists from right-back in 36 Championship appearances – as per Transfermarkt.
According to WhoScored.com, the 25-year-old’s main strengths are his dribbling and his passing, and he has successfully completed 57 of the 87 dribbles he has attempted in the league this term, as well as making 35 key passes for Slavisa Jokanovic’s attacking team.
He has also shown his defensive abilities too though, making 95 clearances and winning 58 of the 75 tackles he has attempted.
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Fredericks is yet to sign a new contract at Fulham with his current deal set to run out at the end of the season, and while it is unlikely to happen if the Cottagers don’t win promotion this term, it may not even happen if they do go up if the player has ambitions to move on.
Whatever does happen, if Newcastle can bring him to St James’ Park on a free transfer this summer it would have to be a no-brainer decision, given Benitez likely won’t have a huge budget to spend.
Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.