24-year-old attacking midfielder set to make Newcastle return – report
By Will Butcher
Newcastle star Haris Vuckic is set to pull on the black and white stripes once again after returning to Tyneside, according to a report.
Vuckic, 24, has returned from his half-season stay at League One outfit Bradford, where he scored four goals in 14 games from midfield under manager Stuart McCall.
According to the Shields Gazette, the Slovenian is now expected to play for Peter Beardsley’s development side against West Brom’s reserves at Kidderminster on Monday night.
The attacking midfielder will be desperate to make an impression back on Tyneside, with less than six months remaining on his current Magpies contract.
Manager Rafa Benitez could be tempted to chance his arm on the former Rangers and Cardiff loanee, with Ayoze Perez and Mo Diame struggling to form any consistent form.
To work his way back into the first team, Vuckic will have to impress in Beardsley’s development side if he is to earn a chance under Benitez.
Since his Toon debut back in August 2009 against Huddersfield in the EFL Cup, Vuckic has gone on to make 18 league and cup appearances and scored one goal for the Magpies.
Football Insider verdict:
Currently in form and desperate to prove his quality, Vuckic could hold the key to the Toon stealing a march on automatic promotion rivals Brighton as they look to gain an instant return to the Premier League. The midfielder will be looking to impress on the highest stage possible as his contract continues to wind down, in order to prove to Benitez or any other interested parties that he is deserving of a new deal. Bringing Vuckic back could be like a new signing for Newcastle, with Diame and Perez struggling to show more than just glimpses of quality in the final third.
In other Newcastle news, Christian Atsu has been named in the African Cup of Nations’ Team of the Tournament.
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