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Newcastle appear primed to make a huge mistake in the transfer market, as reports claim the Magpies are eyeing Yoann Barbet.

What's the story?

According to Calciomercato, Newcastle want Barbet to solve their right-back problems.

The report claims both Newcastle and Aston Villa want to sign the Brentford defender, with Benitez leading the charge to bring him to Tyneside.

Barbet would be a free signing as his contract expires this summer, but is he really an upgrade on what the Magpies already have?

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Is he good enough?

At 25, Barbet has bags of experience to offer, making 116 appearances for Brentford, racking up seven goals and four assists.

However, the right-back has never really showed he can perform at the highest level, yet to make a single appearance in any of Europe’s top five leagues.

He is averaging 1.5 tackles per game in the Championship this season. To put those numbers in perspective, DeAndre Yedlin makes 1.9 tackles per game in the top flight, while also offering up two more assists than Barbet has this season.

The last time the Magpies signed a full-back it was the loan capture of Antonio Barreca back in January, who has not played a single minute of first team action since.

The Monaco loanee is clearly not up to the task of the top flight either physically or technically, because that's what happens when you sign inferior players who are unproven at the highest level. Barbet would just be Barreca 2.0.