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Topics: Newcastle United, Football, Premier League
Marcus Chan
One Newcastle United player has been told he made a mistake by signing for the Magpies this summer.
It was a relatively quiet transfer window for Newcastle this summer as they managed to bring in the likes of John Ruddy, Lloyd Kelly, William Osula, Lewis Hall and Odysseas Vlachodimos.
In terms of outgoings, Newcastle parted ways with players such as Elliot Anderson, Yankuba Minteh, Jamal Lewis and Ryan Fraser.
Goalkeeper Vlachodimos moved to St. James’ Park from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth a reportedly fee of €23.6 million but has only managed one appearance in the Carabao Cup so far this season.
Speaking about Vlachodimos’ transfer to Newcastle, TV commentator Christos Sotirakopoulos claimed the goalkeeper made a mistake.
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He said to Kicker: “Clearly a mistake. He could have moved to Germany, Spain or Italy – in that order. There were enough offers.
“At Benfica, he was between the posts for a top team for five years. In Germany, for example, he knows the country, the people and the circumstances. Even if he had played at Nottingham.”
Sotirakopoulos added: “This is a team that often comes under pressure and defensive order can quickly be lost as a result. I don’t know the circumstances of the expensive move to Newcastle well enough.
“He is a first-class goalkeeper who stands out positively for his inner peace. Regardless of whether it's burning in the penalty area or boredom, he always remains calm and calm. In addition, he also gained international experience at Stuttgart, Panathinaikos and Benfica.”
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Sotirakopoulos also warned Vlachodimos that his place in the Greece starting XI could be under threat.
He added: “Of course, as long as he does not play at his club, the competition will get closer and closer. One example: the 21-year-old Kostas Tzolakis who plays for Olympiakos is constantly improving. He won the Europa Conference League in May. At some point, there comes a time at which the manager will put the performance principle in the first place.”