Harry Redknapp Blasts Newcastle Over Letting Star Champions League Striker Get Away

Ex-Premier League manager Harry Redknapp has criticised Newcastle United for failing to get the best out Luuk de Jong, the prolific Dutch forward who failed to score a single goal for the Magpies during a loan at St James' Park several seasons ago.

Redknapp was working on BT Sport's Champions League coverage this week as De Jong faced Tottenham in a crucial Group B clash and scored a late equaliser in the 2-2 draw to leave Spurs' hopes of reaching the knockout stages in tatters.

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And HITC picked up a damning sound bite from the former West Ham, Portsmouth and Spurs boss: "He's a good player this De Jong. Newcastle should have kept him."

De Jong arrived at Newcastle on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach in January 2014. He had previously been on fire for FC Twente in his native Netherlands and a chance to play in the Premier League offered a fresh start for the then 23-year-old after struggling in Germany.

He started eight of the 12 Premier League games he played, but with Alan Pardew's Newcastle in such a bad state at that time, one could argue it was impossible for him to make an impact.

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Either way, the player returned to Gladbach at the end of the season and was quickly sold to PSV within a few weeks. He subsequently scored 58 goals in his first two years in Eindhoven, and is now back to his best once more in 2018/19 after a couple of down seasons in between.

De Jong's equaliser against Tottenham was his 10th goal of the season in all competitions.

Redknapp's comment ultimately means rather little as it has been four long years since De Jong, whose brother Siem also signed for Newcastle but endured rotten luck with injuries, was on Tyneside and so many players and staff have come and gone in that time.

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But when a former player has scored more goals this season than your entire squad combined, the mind does wander a little; what could have been had things turned out a little different?

Okay, let's not kid around...he would have been sold for profit within a couple of years.