Uruguayan World Cup star could join United
Aug 1 2010 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun
Egidio Arevalo
NEWCASTLE have been offered a £2 million deal for Uruguayan World Cup star Egidio Arevalo.
The midfielder’s club, Penarol, have given the go-ahead for a group of Argentinian businessmen, who seemingly own a part of his part of his contract, to make an approach to United.
But while Arevalo’s agents have also been trying to gauge the Magpies’ interest in the 28-year-old, it remains to be seen whether Newcastle manager Chris Hughton views a new defensive midfielder as a pressing transfer priority.
Having played in every minute of Uruguay’s surprisingly successful campaign in South Africa, Arevalo – a late bloomer at international level – was expected to be a player in demand.
Yet while a move to Serie A side Cagliari fell down recently, there has been little other firm interest in him, although Brazilian side Botafogo are also in the picture.
And Arevalo is ready to sign a new contract with Penarol until Christmas while he awaits more news of other suitors.
Hughton does want to widen his midfield choices, and maintains interest in a loan deal for the more attack-minded Manchester United youngster Tom Cleverley.
But Newcastle’s struggle to promise Sir Alex Ferguson that Cleverley will win a regular starting place at St James’ Park means Hughton is looking at other options.
And Arevalo seemingly offers serious value for money in an often inflated market.
Having only just returned from a holiday in Mexico, he would be some way short of match fitness with the start of the Magpies’ Premier League campaign a fortnight away.
But the make-up of the midfield quartet who started for Newcastle against PSV Eindhoven yesterday underlined Hughton’s need for fresh legs.
Although United have been linked with Hatem Ben Arfa, the Marseilles enigma is now in talks with German club Hoffenheim.
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