BENITEZ: I STILL HAVE FINAL SAY ON PLAYERS
NEWCASTLE BOSS INSISTS NOTHING HAS CHANGED DESPITE ASHLEY’S INVOLVEMENT
Rafa Benitez says he is relaxed about Mike Ashley’s decision to take a close look at Newcastle United’s transfer business.
The club’s owner has had a series of discussions with the club’s hierarchy over the past fortnight.
Ashley is understood to want United to again focus on bringing in younger players with sell-on value.
The billionaire remains close to chief scout Graham Carr, who stayed on at St James’s Park when Benitez committed himself to the club in the wake of relegation last season.
Benitez and managing director Lee Charnley oversaw a profitable summer last year in which Newcastle, yet to make a breakthrough in this month’s transfer window, bought players of all ages.
Ashley, however, is reluctant to spend big in this window, though United manager Benitez – whose side take on Birmingham City at St James’s Park in a third-round FA Cup replay tonight – still feels the club can strengthen its midfield before the end of the month.
Asked if the transfer policy had changed, Benitez said: “Wehavehadthesamewayto work as we have had during this month.
“I talk with Lee, we analyse all the options, we have meetings with the scouts and we ask for names.
“Wecheckthenamesand after we go with the names and we try to sign the players.”
He insists that he has the final say on any signing.
“The fans (ask) ‘do you have the final say?’,” he said.
“Yes, the club cannot sign anyone without talking with me, but at the same time (they ask) ‘can you sign whatever you want?’.
“We are trying to sign what we need. That’s what we are trying to do. We have to try to find the players that we need and after, the players that we want.”
Meanwhile, Benitez has delivered an upbeat assessment on Dwight Gayle and Isaac Hayden - but Vurnon Anita is facing a lengthy layoff. All three suffered injuries in Saturday’s 2-1 Championship win over Brentford.
Gayle (hamstring) and Hayden (groin) will be out for little more than a week, if that, but Anita (ankle ligaments) is a longer injury.