‘Improving squad is only way to be sure we will have more chance of staying in the Premier League’
RAFA’S BLUNT ASSESSMENT OF UNITED PROSPECTS AHEAD OF NEW SEASON
Chief Newcastle United Writer RAFA Benitez summed up the transfer window when he joked he’d spent “two months on the phone” in his frantic pursuit of new players.
Benitez has the final say on targets and on who is sold at Newcastle United. But once a player is identified he’s then in the hands of managing director Lee Charnley – who must seek permission from owner Mike Ashley who then heads for advice from his Sports Direct aide Justin Barnes.
The long-winded process has already cost the Magpies dear this summer. Indeed, Nice striker Alassane Pléa slipped through United’s fingers after they refused to crank up a £20million bid for the Ligue 1 star who then ended up at Borussia Mönchengladbach because they were prepared to pay an extra £2million for his services.
It is a process that has left Benitez frustrated but he hasn’t protested about the situation publicly, and he answered questions diplomatically in Ireland during the club’s pre-season tour.
The truth is Benitez has always spoken about getting money to spend this summer as that’s what he was told when the club returned to the Premier League in 2017.
Charnley has also said in public that the club always “back” Rafa. Only with three weeks to go until the new season starts, that’s still open to debate for fans.
Newcastle now seemed to have opted for a more cautious strategy and Charnley and Ashley want Benitez to sign a contract before further financial pledges are made.
Benitez is reluctant to sign a contract unless it contains certain assurances that will give Newcastle United – not him – the best chance of success in years to come. With no resolution the Toon boss vowed to box on in what appear to be adjusted conditions for the former Real Madrid boss. When talking about the finale to the transfer window, Benitez told the Chronicle: “To be fair we’re talking about spending two months on the phone! And still we have plenty of things to do. “We will try to do something in the coming days to improve the squad and improve the competition. “It’s the only way to be sure we will have more chance of staying in the Premier League.” To achieve that, Benitez wants proven quality in the top flight and will push on to sign Salomón Rondón this week.
He said: “What I’ll say about transfers is that Premier League experience is a key part of our idea and what we’re trying to do. Loans are the same.
“But we only have one more in England so we have to look abroad to see any other options.”
But Benitez isn’t only just looking for a striker, and the fact he was forced to field youngsters such as Cal Roberts and Victor Fernandez as full-backs in Ireland sums up part of his predicament.
When asked if a striker was his priority, he said: “Yes. We have three or four positions that we’d still like to bring competition in for.
“You know my idea, the current group of players deserve good things. But in football, you also need quality and competition.
“Then you can improve the level of every single player. That’s the idea. Can we bring in everything we want? It won’t be easy but at least we will continue trying to do that.”