Jorginho, a midfielder for Chelsea, is rumored to be on Newcastle United’s radar despite the Italian international’s lack of commitment to the west London club.
Prior to the January transfer window, the 31-year-old is reportedly a “prime target” for Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth, with the northeastern team reportedly looking to bolster their midfield ranks.
Due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding his Stamford Bridge contract, the Brazil-born maestro may prove to be an approachable target. The 46-cap wonder has just six months left on his current deal with the Blues.
That would make it possible for the Tynesiders to sign the former Napoli player at a discount next month or for free at the end of the current campaign.
The £110k-per-week ace has been pulling the strings in the center of the park for both club and country in recent years, having notably finished third in the Ballon d’Or rankings in 2021 after claiming the Champions League and European Championship glory in that calendar year.
Despite that success, the 5 foot 10 genius is still somewhat “underappreciated” – according to talkSPORT pundit Trevor Sinclair – with the playmaker’s brilliance perhaps sometimes going under the radar.
A clinical presence from the penalty spot – having scored 19 spot-kicks in his Premier League career to date – it is his quality in possession that has particularly caught the eye, with the one-time Hellas Verona ace enjoying an 85% pass accuracy rate in the top-flight this term.
That knack for dictating the tempo of the game can see him likened to Spain and Barcelona legend, Sergio Busquets, with the two men said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.
That comparison is an astute one as the pair are both orchestrators from their deep-lying roles at the base of the midfield, with Jorginho ranking in the top 7% in Europe among those in his position for attempted passes, while Busquets ranks in the top 5% for that same metric.
That forward-thinking approach is also showcased by the fact that the latter man ranks in the top 11% for progressive passes, while the Chelsea man ranks in the top 10% in that regard as a sign of his ability to initiate attacks from deep.
The such likeness is a marker of just what a gifted figure Jorginho truly is, with Busquets having been recognized as one of the finest of his era over the last decade or so, with current Manchester United man Casemiro having previously dubbed the Spaniard the “best in the world” in that role.
The 34-year-old has won a plethora of major honors for both club and country to date, while notably racking up 696 appearances for La Blaugrana, as well as 143 caps at an international level prior to his recent post-World Cup retirement.
To be compared to such a talent truly does illustrate Jorginho’s undoubted prowess, with it set to prove a real coup if Ashworth can bring the latter man to St James’ Park in 2023.
