Newcastle must finally sell Magpies flop who earns far more than Murphy

Newcastle United are in the midst of an excellent run of form which has not only seen them rise to fifth in the Premier League table but also secure an impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal in the League Cup semi-final first leg.

Eddie Howe won’t want to stop there, especially with another cup final in sight. Powered by the talents of Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, Newcastle could be on the verge of greatness this season.

Gordon, in particular, has been wonderful since the start of 2024/25, taking his game to new heights.

Newcastle’s best attackers in 2024/25

While Isak has been the Toon’s main source of comfort this term, we cannot forget about Gordon and Jacob Murphy.

The latter is perhaps in the form of his life right now, registering four assists and three goals in his last six Premier League outings.

He’s gone under the radar though compared to Gordon. Comparatively, the winger has registered 12 goal contributions – seven goals and five assists – across 25 games this season, including a goal in the win over Arsenal recently.

Gordon has also created seven big chances in the top flight, along with averaging 2.3 key passes and succeeding with 1.2 dribbles per game, showcasing his vast attacking talents in the final third.

These are impressive statistics, no doubt about that. Unsurprisingly, his impressive performances saw the Englishman rewarded with a bumper new contract this term, one that made him the second-highest-paid player in the squad

To highlight the winger’s rise, only Brazilian star Bruno Guimaraes (£160k-per-week) earns more than Gordon’s £150k-per-week.

Neither of those players will be leaving in a hurry but because of the form of Isak, that man Gordon and Murphy, it leaves little room for Miggy Almiron who must be given the boot.

Why Miguel Almiron should be sold by Newcastle

The Paraguayan may well be taking home a great deal less than Gordon, but he is earning £25k-per-week more than Murphy and yet failing to offer anything near an adequate contribution to the team this term.

Indeed, across 12 appearances in all competitions, the 30-year-old has failed to score or even grab an assist, starting just four times.

Miguel Almiron’s statistics at Newcastle United
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2023/24	45	5	3
2022/23	41	11	4
2021/22	32	1	0
2020/21	39	5	3
2019/20	42	8	2
2018/19	10	0	0
Via Transfermarkt

In the Premier League, Almiron has created zero big chances, succeeded with 0% of his dribble attempts and averages a lowly 0.1 key passes per game. These statistics certainly prove that perhaps his spell at the Magpies is coming to an end and he won’t be missed that much on this basis.

According to Telegraph Sport, the winger is close to leaving Newcastle, with clubs in America, Brazil and Europe all looking to sign him this month.

Howe is demanding a fee of around £12m, which would give him a boost as he seeks a couple of signings.

Previously hailed as “absolutely unbelievable” by pundit Tam McManus in 2022, Almiron’s stature at the club has diminished of late, which has led to Howe looking to move him on.

Since his arrival six years ago, the South American has gone on to play 221 games for the Toon in that time, scoring 30 goals while grabbing 12 assists.

It’s fair to say that the £21m they spent on signing him from Atlanta United was money well spent. With just 18 months left on his contract, this is the last chance PIF will be able to secure a decent fee for the player.

Earning £60k-per-week but failing to produce the goods this season suggests a sale could be the best outcome for all parties.