Benitez calls for reinforcements

RAFAEL BENITEZ insists Newcastle United need to be active in the final weeks of the January transfer window to add Premier League experience to their squad, though he fears the club may have left it too late to secure all his targets.

Despite last week’s breakdown in takeover talks between owner Mike Ashley and Amanda Staveley, Benitez claimed to have received assurances over signings, even though the club is yet to enter the market this month.

However, the limitations of Benitez’s squad were laid bare at the Etihad on Saturday as league leaders Manchester City recorded a comfortable 3-1 win. The defeat leaves Newcastle just two points clear of the relegation zone.

“We have been working very hard to get the players we need to stay up. We gave a list to the owner and we have to wait and see what we can do,” Benitez said on Saturday.

“They know the names, whether loans or permanent. I need bodies with experience. The majority of this team were in the Championship, so they don’t have much experience of the Premier League. We need that. We need players to give us something different. Quality or experience.

Benitez, however, fears that with only eight days remaining until the transfer deadline, the club may not secure all the new additions that he needs.

“We’ll see how many we can get,” he said. “It’s a little bit late now.”

Benitez has taken charge of leading clubs and those fighting for survival during his career, but he feels the gap between the elite and the rest has significantly widened since his early days in management.

“It’s bigger now. They are spending much more money,” he said. “My first game with Extremadura was against Barcelona – we lost 1-0, but we played 4-4-2, we pressed high, the difference between that and now is massive.”

When asked whether he would take a more adventurous approach with more quality players at his disposal, Benitez asked: “Who has the record for goals in the Champions League? With Liverpool and Real Madrid. If we can score ten, we score ten. If we have the players to attack, we attack. But you have to defend against the best team in the country. You have to defend.” – The Independent