La Liga expert provides glowing verdict of Newcastle United summer transfer target

The former Manchester United and Wimbledon forward was in the North East at the weekend as part of a La Liga TV event for Sunday’s El Gran Derbi between Sevilla and local rivals Real Betis.

One player of interest for football supporters on Tyneside was Sevilla centre-back Carlos, who was one of Newcastle’s key targets during the January transfer window.

The Magpies are believed to have submitted several unsuccessful bids for the Brazilian international before switching their attention to Brighton defender Dan Burn in the final days of the month.

The interest in Carlos remains very much alive and further attempts to conclude a deal could be made this summer as Eddie Howe looks to refresh his defensive options.

Carlos - who played the first 45 minutes of Sevilla’s 2-1 win against Betis - was described as “a great centre-back” by Gibson, who stated he would have no issues translating his impressive form in La Liga into the Premier League.

Speaking to NewcastleWorld during the event at the Old George Inn, he said: “He’s a classic Sevilla signing and it amazes me how other clubs don’t beat them to it.

“Newcastle was a different kettle of fish when he signed because they didn’t have the money they have now - but there are other Premier League clubs that should have gone in for him when Sevilla did.

“I don’t know how they managed to get him and Jules Kounde in the same transfer window and only paid around £30million for the two of them.

“They’d probably get that for one of them now.

“Carlos is a great centre-back. He’s good in the air, powerful, very good on the ball, he’s quick, aggressive, he has a nasty side too.

“I have no doubt he would be a success in the Premier League.”

‘It’s a wonderful stadium in a wonderful part of the world’

Gibson was a regular visitor to St James Park during his playing career and was a goalscorer for Wimbledon in their FA Cup fifth round win on Tyneside in February 1988.

A keen admirer of Newcastle as a club and a city, Gibson believes the PIF-led takeover of the Magpies can lead to United realising their potential and he insisted top-level players would have no issue moving to the North East as many onlookers have claimed.

“It’s been waiting to happen and no disrespect to the previous owner, but when you have a one-club city like Newcastle, it should be taking off,” he said.

“We compare it to Real Betis, they’ve got Sevilla two and half miles down the road.

“Newcastle is 15 miles from their nearest club.

“This city is theirs, it will have lure for players, and yes, the draw may be the money but don’t underestimate how much playing in front of passionate, loyal supporters will also attract players.

“It’s a wonderful stadium in a wonderful part of the world.”

‘The first building block is to stay in the Premier League’

Eddie Howe’s side further boosted their hopes of remaining in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over relegation rivals Brentford at the weekend.

The win in London extended the Magpies unbeaten run to a seventh game and they now lie just five points shy of mid-table ahead of this weekend’s home game against Brighton.

Once Premier League survival is secured, focus will turn towards what could be another hectic transfer window this summer.

With a number of high-profile names already being linked with a move to St James Park, Gibson is confident the Magpies can secure some of their top targets once the threat of relegation into the Championship is removed.

“The first building block is to stay in the Premier League and that looks like it’s being put in place now,” he explained.

“Some players may have looked at the league position and thought ‘I fancy the challenge but I don’t want to be in the Championship next season’.

“The players Newcastle will want to sign will want to be challenging for qualification for the Champions League on a regular basis.

“That may have been an issue in January, but now it looks like they are staying up and that’s the most important thing this season.”