PIF can find NUFC's new Ben Arfa by signing £15m magician who can "nutmeg a mermaid" - opinion

The summer transfer window officially opens on Friday and Newcastle will be hard at work as they look to improve Eddie Howe’s squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

Dan Ashworth and PIF have already secured one deal as Matt Targett has agreed to join the club on a permanent basis after his loan spell in the season just gone.

Another player they must now target a move for is West Ham attacking midfielder Said Benrahma, who is reportedly available this summer.

Journalist Harry Roy has claimed that the club wanted the Algeria international and are keen on a deal for a player in his position.

He Tweeted: “Just read that West Ham are open to selling Saïd Benrahma this summer. NUFC were interested in him during his Brentford days, and are in the market for a winger. £12m-£15m is the rumoured price.”

By reigniting interest in Benrahma and bringing him to St. James’ Park, PIF can find the club’s new Ben Arfa next season.

The Hammers gem is a silky playmaker with the ability to breeze past players with his trickery, much like the former Newcastle forward.

Brentford B’s assistant coach, Sam Saunders, once claimed that Benrahma “could nutmeg a mermaid” and this beautifully illustrates how much talent he has with the ball at his feet.

Interestingly, this exact phrase was previously used – by SPORTBible – to describe Ben Arfa as they posted a compilation of his best goals on Tyneside.

Whilst impressing with flash skills, the now-Lille winger also made a big impact in the final third. In the 2011/12 campaign, he produced five goals and six assists in the Premier League as he showed that he had end product as well as immense dribbling.

Benrahma, similarly, is also able to make telling contributions at the top end of the pitch. In 2021/22, he