This Newcastle United midfielder is set to move this summer

Newcastle United midfielder Mohammed Diame has been reportedly linked to Crystal Palace now this his time at Newcastle seems to have come to an end. The club did not play him the required number of starts needed to trigger a one year extension, and it appears that the club will not offer him a contract extension, either. This means Diame’s time at Newcastle is over.

Where he will go is interesting. What interested me was that the club didn’t look to trigger the one year deal and sell the player off in the summer, opting to let him become a free agent. The 32-year-old is well past his prime, and the club likely saw no value in pushing for a sale.

A Turkish paper (just hit that translate thingy Google has) has reported that Crystal Palace are prepared to extend an offer to Diame as well as West Ham and even Fenerbahce.

During his time at Newcastle United Mo Diame had shown flashes of brilliance, but could never become quite the lynchpin attacking midfielder that we needed him to be. This meant he fell down the pecking order quite quickly when other midfield options began rolling in. It was a no-brainer for Newcastle to avoid the extension by simply sitting the player out, rather than letting him trigger the one-year deal.

While he seemed keen on extending his stay, it is really best for Newcastle to look at better and younger options. Diame’s deal will free up not just squad room, but some salary room to move some players up or down. This may even pave the way for some younger players in the youth system to get their chance, much like Sean Longstaff did.

Overall, I can only describe Diame’s time at Newcastle as amiable. I can’t complain, and I’m grateful for everything he’s done while with the club. And remember Diame:

Once a magpie, always a magpie.

Also, does this mean Miguel Almiron gets the No.10?!