The ‘world class’ signing that could supercharge Newcastle United’s season - he’s made 106 career assists
Newcastle United are starting to click back into gear, but one position in the squad remains a cause for concern
Newcastle United claimed back-to-back wins in the Champions League for the first time since 2003 on Tuesday evening, by following up an emphatic 4-0 win away at Union Saint-Gilloise with an equally impressive 3-0 victory over Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.
It was a night where Newcastle really proved that they deserve to dine at Europe’s elite table as they added to their list of memorable wins on the continent. It was also perhaps the first time Eddie Howe’s side were really able to showcase their improved squad depth as Jacob Ramsey and Lewis Miley stepped in to start ahead of Joelinton and Sandro Tonali with great comfort - while Harvey Barnes also scored twice from the bench following a first-half opener from Anthony Gordon.
The Magpies were good value for their win and there were very few causes for concern on an excellent night for the Toon. But if you had to be hypercritical, it was clear at times that there was one area that Benfica often looked to expose - that was defender Dan Burn as he operated in a make-shift left-back position.
Newcastle United should sign a left-back in January
Burn had a challenging first 45 minutes against one-time Watford winger Dodi Lukébakio in Tuesday’s outing at St. James’ Park. The Belgium international often used his superior pace to his advantage against the much-slower Burn and came close to scoring in the first half when he was denied by Nick Pope in a one-on-one scenario.
It’s not the only time Burn has found it difficult in the left-back situation. He had a tough time against Brighton recently in the league and also found it challenging against Arsenal.
That’s not to discredit Burn - he’s played left-back before to a high standard and regularly featured there in the 2022/23 season when the Magpies had the tightest defence in the league. He’s quicker than he’s perhaps fairly recognised for and sticks at his task with admirable tenacity. However, it’s clear that the 6ft 7in defender is much more suited to playing centrally - and it’s his form in that position which has made him popular in Thomas Tuchel’s recent England squads.
Newcastle do have one excellent left-back in Lewis Hall, who looked like one of the team’s most consistent performers last season before his injury in February, but he’s started just 10 matches throughout 2025 - and is currently nursing a hamstring problem.
It’s often meant that Tino Livramento, a more natural right-back, has covered in that area, but now that he’s injured too, Burn has had to be shifted back to full-back. With Kieran Tripper starting too, Newcastle’s full-backs have a combined age of 68, which is hard to sustain for long periods of the season - particularly with the rigours of European football to contend with alongside domestic league and cup duties.
Newcastle United should target Alejandro Grimaldo
Newcastle United have no second option at left-back with the exception of the inexperienced former Bolton loanee Alex Murphy, after loaning out Matt Targett to Middlesbrough in the Championship. This is a glaring weakness in the team’s squad regardless, but becomes very apparent when playing on the continent with the added strain of playing twice a week.
Newcastle need quality in that area and could benefit from bringing in a player with vast experience who can help harness Hall’s qualities and improve his all-round game, in a similar fashion to that of Tripper with Livramento.
One ambitious option that Newcastle could look to target is 11-time Spain international Álex Grimaldo of Bayer Leverkusen. He’s currently one of the most important players in Kasper Hjulmand’s side, who still have Newcastle to face later in the competition. The 30-year-old left-back came through the academy at Barcelona but made his breakthrough in professional football with Portuguese heavyweights Benfica. He’s renowned for his excellent agility, stamina and most notably his passing qualities.
Like Trippier, he’s a masterful set-piece taker, and someone renowned for striking the ball from distance and on occasion getting in on the goals. During his time at Benfica, he won four league titles. He racked up 303 appearances, and he was a key asset for the team - scoring 27 times and contributing an incredible 66 assists.
However, since joining Bayer Leverkusen in 2023 on a free transfer, he’s taken his game to new heights. He was a pivotal player in Xabi Alonso’s invincible season of 2023/24, winning the league and cup double while narrowly missing out on a treble in the Europa League final to Atalanta. He helped the team reach the Champions League knockout stage last term, and has constantly been regarded as one of the team’s top performers.
Grimaldo, who is under contract until 2027, was one of the few big hitters not to leave the Bay Arena after Granit Xhaka, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Tah and Victor Boniface among others all opted to leave shortly before Erik ten Hag’s exit. He has been described as world-class by his new manager Kasper Hjulmand and has thrived in an advanced role this season - sometimes playing as a wing-back and at times even dripping into midfield. He’s scored six in 11 games and has contributed three assists so far this term.
The Valencia-born defender has all the qualities to succeed in the Premier League if signed by the Magpies and could be affordable based on his age. It’s a challenging deal to do in January but could be a real shrewd bit of business if the club look to utilise some of the funds they still have remaining from Alexander Isak’s big money switch to Liverpool.
Grimaldo is Champions League proven, versatile, has immense set piece quality - and could potentially be a game-changing signing for the Magpies.