Achraf Lazaar is expected to leave before the end of the month with the Northern Echo reporting that Rafa Benitez has told the Moroccan he has no future at the club.
The 26-year-old has not played for us since the Carabao Cup defeat to Notts Forest last August. He then spent a year in Italy with Benevento, and it appears a return to Serie A is the most likely outcome.
With the club unable to secure a deal for another left-back before deadline day, it means Javier Manquillo will have to provide cover if Paul Dummett gets injured. I asked supporters whether it would be better to keep Lazaar in order to increase the manager’s options at fullback. The majority think keeping the defender is a good idea:
It seems clear that Rafa just doesn’t think the Moroccan international is capable of making an impact in the Premier League. Considering the lack of depth, you would have thought that keeping the ex Palermo left-back would have been considered, but it looks like he will be on his way out before August 31st.