BENITEZ HOPES TO BE BACK ON SIDELINES
NEWCASTLE MANAGER IS RECOVERING FROM MEDICAL PROCEDURE
Rafa Benitez hopes to be back for Newcastle United’s game against Swansea City after undergoing surgery.
Benitez had a procedure late last week related to a previous hernia operation.
United’s manager had hoped to be back at the club’s Benton HQ on Tuesday, when his players returned from a long weekend off.
However, Benitez was still recuperating yesterday and his staff oversaw training.
The 57-year-old is keen to be back before the end of the week.
Benitez had had the operation during the international break to minimise disruption.
Meanwhile,Newcastledefender Chancel Mbemba is facing several weeks on the sidelines.
Mbemba suffered an injury playing for DR Congo against Tunisia on Tuesday night.
A report in Mbemba’s home country has claimed that he will miss next month’s international against Libya.
Arsene Wenger admits allowing Alexis Sanchez to see out the final year of his contract could cost Arsenal as much as £140million.
On the day Sanchez spoke of disillusionment over criticism he receives, Wenger revealed the numbers involved if the Chile forward leaves at the end of the season as expected. Sanchez’s desired moved to Manchester City broke down on transfer deadline day after Arsenal failed to sign Monaco’s Thomas Lemar, who had been identified as his successor.
Wenger admits the Gunners will miss out on a fee of up to £70million should he depart in June - and will have to spend that much again to ensure he is adequately replaced.
“You take a Sanchez into the final year of his contract, you sacrifice £60-£70million income and at the end of the season you will have to buy somebody for that amount of money,” Wenger said.
“It has a huge price so at some stage you have to make a decision, you have to sacrifice one or two.”
Wenger insists recent transfers led by Neymar’s £198million move to PSG have distorted the market to the point that value for money has become a secondary consideration. “The amount of money is completely disconnected to reality and the truth,” he said.