TOON RAIDER RAFA Benitez’s double Everton swoop
NEWCASTLE manager Rafa Benitez is heading back to Merseyside — to raid Everton.
Benitez, who won the Champions League with Liverpool, has told Toon owner Mike Ashley that the current squad is not good enough for the Premier League, and has made overtures for a number of high-profile players.
They include Everton duo James McCarthy and Tom Cleverley, Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson, Manchester City’s Fabian Delph and Brentford’s Alan Judge. And Ashley is prepared to back his manager, especially after four defeats in their last eight Championship games which has slowed their promotion challenge.
It has also reinforced Benitez’s belief that despite hitting the ground running in the early part of the season a return to the Premier League was not guaranteed with the players at his disposal.
The Spaniard is also contemplating whether to allow £13million striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to leave, despite the Serb being a cult hero with some of the Newcastle fans.
As revealed in Sunday Mirror Sport the club were open to offers for the 22-year-old in the last window.
Mitrovic has made only four starts and 10 substitute appearances this term, as Dwight Gayle has shouldered goal-scoring responsibilities. SWANSEA have fired a hands-off warning to Chelsea over Spanish striker Fernando Llorente.
New Swans boss Paul Clement is set to resist attempts to take Llorente away from the Liberty Stadium as he is seen as key to the Swans’ Premier League survival hopes, six priceless goals in 17 games for the Welsh club Chelsea manager Antonio Conte may offer £33million misfit striker Michy Batshuayi on loan to sweeten the deal, but the Swans appear unlikely to play ball.