Season ends
ANOTHER weekend, another name is linked with Newcastle United as transfer gossip continues to escalate given that the end of the season is now fast approaching.
Rafa Benitez and his Magpies side may have two further games to navigate against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Wednesday and then Chelsea at St James’ Park on Saturday, but focus on Tyneside is very much on off-field matters already.
The uncertainty over Benitez’s own future continues to dominate, with the Spaniard himself having refused to confirm he will be at St James’ Park come the beginning of the 2017/18 campaign.
After the Magpies’ defeat to Watford on Saturday, Benitez stressed he wanted his contract situation resolved “as soon as possible” - while also suggesting he was still unsure the club’s ambitions match his own and that he still needed further “clarity” on that point.
In recent weeks, the 58-year-old has been heavily linked with Leicester City and Napoli, who could soon be searching for new managers.
However, national-media reports in The Times and The Sun yesterday claim that Leicester who are expected to sack Claude Puel once the season finishes next weekend - will try to prise David Wagner away from Huddersfield Town, rather than target Benitez.
Meanwhile, The Mirror carried quotes from current Napoli head coach Maurizio Sarri, who is reportedly a target for both Chelsea and Arsenal this summer.
Should Sarri leave the Stadio San Paolo, then Benitez has been linked with a possible return to the Bay of Naples.
Interestingly, after Napoli’s title challenge ended with a 2-2 draw at home to Torino on Sunday, Sarri appeared to say to chairman Aurelio di Laurentiis that he should sack him if he is unimpressed by his work.
“If the president is happy, good, if he is not happy, I’m sorry, and he can always take to the exit option he has,” Sarri said
In terms of transfers, a new name has been linked with Newcastle - and that is Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand.
Should Southampton be relegated, then The Sunday Express claim Newcastle, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur have registered an interest in signing the England left-back.