Newcastle United Are Keeping A Keen Eye On This Atletico Madrid Full-Back: Decent Fit For Howe? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Fichajes stated that Newcastle United are keeping a keen eye on Atletico Madrid full-back Nahuel Molina. It is believed that the Magpies are eyeing a £17.5m move to bring the Argentine defender this summer.

Molina’s Decent Run Of Form In La Liga

Molina managed to catch the eye at times with his performances on the right side of Diego Simeone’s defence during this campaign. The Argentine talent has been involved in 44 matches for the Spanish outfit this season, scoring one goal and securing three assists across multiple competitions.

The 27-year-old has been a solid presence when defending inside his half after making 44 tackles, 16 blocks and 13 interceptions in La Liga this season. He has even distributed possession relatively well from the right flank based on his pass success rate of 79.9% in the Spanish first division (stats via fbref.com).

Molina is under contract at the Madrid club until the summer of 2027 which would make it difficult for the Magpies to land him on the cheap in this transfer window.

MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 02: Nahuel Molina of Atletico de Madrid battles for the ball with Alejandro Balde of FC Barcelona during the Copa del Rey semifinal match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on April 02, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Will Molina Be A Decent Fit For Newcastle United Boss Eddie Howe?

Molina is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He usually puts his foot through the ball when needed and is a tidy passer as well.

The Argentine talent has done well to add some goals and assists to his game. However, there are some concerns over whether he can cope with the physical side and high intensity of the Premier League if Newcastle manage to get him on board this off-season.

Molina would no doubt enhance the quality of the Tyneside club’s backline. He is good enough to compete for a regular first-team spot at St. James’ Park in the coming seasons.

At 25, Molina is playing in his prime at the moment and could help the Magpies compete across all fronts over the next few years. Hence, he would be a good fit for Howe’s needs in the short term. However, Molina might need some time to adapt to life at Newcastle, so Howe has to be patient before he can get the best out of the talented right-back.