Newcastle have submitted a formal loan offer to Everton for England international Tom Cleverley, but just how will Rafa Benitez look to utilise him should a deal be agreed?
Regardless of Everton or Cleverley’s thoughts on the loan move, the deal will not be completed in time for him to start the Blackburn game – so the Birmingham City cup fixture is a more realistic fixture to look ahead to.
With Jonjo Shelvey banned for three more games (Blackburn, Birmingham and Brentford – all away), Cleverley would slot alongside midfield lynchpin Isaac Hayden, should he sign for the Magpies. Jack Colback alongside the formal Arsenal man simply has not worked.
It is fair to assume Shelvey will return to the starting line-up immediately upon returning from suspension, but is Rafa’s plan to start him alongside Cleverley? In my mind, no. Newcastle tend to play one ball playing central midfielder partnered by a midfield anchor. Shelvey’s suspension has thrown a spanner to the works, but for the most part this is how Benitez prefers to line-up.
Cleverley is likely to rotate with Shelvey and could potentially spend time out wide, as he has done for Everton on numerous occasions over the last two seasons. Infact, over half of the 27-year-old’s appearances for the Toffees have been in wide positions. With Rolando Aarons sidelined with injury and Christian Atsu away at the African Cup of Nations, Newcastle are relatively light out wide too.
With all that said, there is still a chance Cleverley, or even Ronald Koeman, could reject the offer – despite struggling for first-team football at Goodison Park. Rafa Benitez’s pull may have attracted some high calibre players already, but there will be others who want assurances of Premier League football – which Newcastle simply cannot offer until next summer at the earliest.
