Miguel Almirón is close to a return to Atlanta and MLS after Newcastle agreed a fee of around £8-£10m. The Paraguay winger, who has also been pursued by FC Charlotte in recent days, is keen to return to the United States after six largely successful years at St James’ Park and is in advanced talks with his former club.
Although the 30-year-old has fallen out of favor this season, making just one Premier League appearance, he proved to be a mainstay of the team that secured Champions League qualification during the 2022/2023 season.
Almirón has made 222 appearances at Newcastle and scored 30 goals after being signed from Rafael Benítez for £21 million in 2019. On Wednesday he left the substitutes’ bench to make an almost certain farewell appearance on Tyneside in a 3-0 win against Wolves.
Last season, a forward who was used mainly as a right winger by Eddie Howe, but was also capable of operating in a number 10 role, attracted interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, but he opted to remain in England.
Given that Almirón’s contract runs until 2026 and he remains an extremely popular dressing room figure, Howe would have been keen to keep him in a squad lacking any real strength. Instead, the need for Newcastle to avoid breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules has led to the sale.
With Almirón’s fellow winger Harvey Barnes sidelined through injury for the next month, the Paraguayan’s impending departure leaves a side that has won nine consecutive cup and league games with just two fit specialist senior wingers in Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon .
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Newcastle have also received a £6million bid from Fenerbahce for centre-back or left-back Lloyd Kelly. However, they are reluctant to allow the former Bournemouth defender – who joined Newcastle on a free transfer last summer – to join Jose Mourinho’s squad unless the offer is significantly increased.