By support

21st Dec, 2016 | 2:04pm

Why Newcastle must sell 27-year-old next month after latest setback

COMMENT By Will Butcher

Newcastle should offload attacking midfielder Siem de Jong  in a cut-price deal after he tore his groin while on loan with Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury during a training session for Eindhoven, and will be sidelined for six weeks until February.

Evening Chronicle reporter Lee Ryder revealed the news on his personal Twitter account, which could now spell the end for de Jong.

The playmaker had been loaned to the Eredivisie side to prove his fitness to manager Rafa Benitez, after his Toon career has been marred by multiple injury problems. He has managed just 26 appearances in two years.

Although finally returning to fitness and being able to play 10 league and cup matches in three months, De Jong’s latest setback should be the final straw for Benitez.

With his contract at St. James’ Park set to run until the summer of 2020, Benitez should sell de Jong for a cut-price deal as soon as possible.

Newcastle would benefit from selling de Jong as they would begin to save a substantial amount of money currently being spent on wages, as well as being able to bring in a replacement.

The former Ajax ace would also benefit from being moved on, as his career has continued to dwindle on Tyneside despite his recent loan move.

Being available to clubs would allow him to get fit and move to a new team that would be able to offer him regular game time.

The six-time Holland international is set to remain at Eindhoven for the time being, after scoring twice in his last two games against Go Ahead Eagles and old side Ajax.

In other Newcastle news, this 23-year-old is the Toon’s biggest disappointment of 2016.