And Danny Mills doesn’t know he is because of course Danny Mills doesn’t know who he is. I mean, it’s only his job, isn’t it?
Don’t look now but Newcastle United, yes, Newcastle United, look like they are finally going to be making a signing. Not only that, but for a player who will push them over the £16 million they paid for Michael Owen after they bought him from Real Madrid… in 2005.
2005. That’s how long it’s been since Newcastle made a big signing. Hang your head in shame Mike Ashley.
Anyway, it appears that there is finally going to be some light at the end of this particularly gloomy, Sports Direct tunnel, in the form of Paraguay and Atlanta United attacking midfielder Miguel Almiron.
The Magpies are close to securing his signature for £20 million as the playmaker travels to Tyneside for a medical and to finalise personal terms. There is plenty to get excited about, too, as the 24-year-old has been one of the stars of the MLS over the course of the last two seasons, scoring 22 goals in 62 games from midfield and winning the MLS Cup with Atlanta in 2018. He has also been named an MLS All-Star and a member of the MLS Best XI in both seasons he has spent in the league.
Danny Mills, meanwhile, isn’t impressed.
"I've never really heard of him, in all honesty. It's not a signing that makes you go 'Oh wow, this is inspiring."
Danny Mills is sceptical about #NUFC's potential record signing Miguel Almiron.
📻: https://t.co/0kUniX6SeW
💻: https://t.co/010e9WLAdc #NEWMCI pic.twitter.com/ufBoNSQQto— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) January 29, 2019
Presumably, when Mills refers to him as an ‘unknown’ he is simply admitting that he, himself, has absolutely no clue about Almiron and hasn’t bothered to do his research about a player with over 130 senior league appearances to his name and top division league titles from the US, Argentina and Paraguay in his trophy cabinet.
Let’s be honest, it’s usually a good sign when a player is met with this sort of skepticism from lazy British pundits. Expect to see Danny and co. waxing lyrical about Almiron on an edition of Match of the Day 2 soon.
