Newcastle must beat Everton to Norwich’s Ben Godfrey
According to Football Insider, Newcastle are ready to battle Everton in the race to sign Ben Godfrey in this summer transfer window.
What’s the word?
The Norwich defender was a permanent fixture in the starting line-up for the Canaries last season as they suffered relegation from the Premier League, making 33 appearances across all competitions.
Now, it looks like the 22-year-old is set for a move away from Carrow Road, with both the Magpies and Everton keen to ensure he stays in the top-flight.
Football Insider claim that Steve Bruce’s side are preparing to make their own offer to Norwich in order to prise him away, despite having a number of centre-backs already on the books at St James’ Park.
Imagine him and Lascelles
An England U21 international, Godfrey was one of the more impressive performers in a Norwich side that finished rock bottom in the Premier League last season.
As per Sofascore, he won a mammoth 60% of his individual duels last season, and was equally strong in possession too, boasting a pass accuracy of 88% – the perfect centre-back for the modern game.
His former manager, Alex Neill, described him as “aggressive” and that “he can use the ball well”, whilst Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand name-checked him as one of the young players to watch out for earlier this year.
Whilst he may not be the tallest centre-back around at just 6 foot, his skills seem like they would be an excellent compliment alongside Magpies skipper Jamaal Lascelles.
Last season, the 26-year-old averaged 1.2 interceptions and 4.8 clearances per game, but didn’t show the kind of ball-playing qualities that Godfrey has in his locker – Newcastle’s more direct approach saw him average just 28 passes per match (20 less than that of the Norwich man).
The best centre-back partnerships are always the one where the players can cover for each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and in Godfrey, Newcastle can find someone who looks tailor-made to slot in alongside Lascelles.