Newcastle United Transfers: 8 Players Benitez Must Sign This Summer
4. Gabriel Pires
Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Appelt Pires was first linked with Newcastle in the January transfer window, when a loan move was speculated. This obviously didn't materialise, but rumours resurfaced at the end of May, when the Leganes player was pegged as Benitez's first summer signing.
Talk has cooled since then, but that doesn't necessarily mean the pursuit is over. Pires was a key figure in Leganes' survival campaign, notching 34 games in a number of different positions. He primarily operated as an attacking midfielder, but the former Juventus trainee can also play up front, on the left flank, or in a deeper midfield role. This versatility would be most welcome on Tyneside, and could make Pires a valuable utility man in the NUFC squad.
Pires has a release clause of just £6 million written into his contract, and he's 23 years old. His best years are still ahead of him, and he caught the eye of many a pundit during his season with the La Liga strugglers. These factors suggest he'd be a smart signing, and while not necessarily a guaranteed starter, he'd be someone capable of filling in anywhere across the front six.