BENITEZ WON’T ‘START WAR’ OVER TRANSFERS
MAGS MANAGER PUTS WINDOW FRUSTRATION BEHIND HIM AHEAD OF VITAL PALACE TRIP
Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez insists he is not going to “start a war” with the club over the Magpies’ January transfer business.
The Spaniard cut an increasingly frustrated figure last month as the Tynesiders waited until late in the window to make their move amid collapsed takeover talks and uncertainty over his budget.
In the event, he was able to add three new signings – Chelsea midfielder Kenedy, Leicester striker Islam Slimani and Sparta Prague keeper Martin Dubravka – on loan to afford him a series of different options for their Premier League survival fight.
Asked as he prepared for tomorrow’s vital trip to Crystal Palace (2.15pm) if he had got what he wanted, Benitez said: “At the moment, the feeling is that we are a little bit better than three days before.
“Why? We have new players with different characteristics and they want to play, improve and push, and the others are already working hard.
“I’m here trying to bring the best from the team – that is the best for the club. I don’t want to create a war – I don’t need to do that – but I need to be sure the players are concentrated on football playing well and getting points every game to stay up.
“What I need is the team to play well. Believe me, it’s not a question of: ‘I’m happy, I’m not happy.’ It doesn’t change anything. Our priority is just to stay in the Premier League.”
Benitez has backed Slimani to fire Newcastle up the table. The Algerian has had a thigh problem but will be given a fitness test ahead of the visit to Selhurst Park.
“He’s been working with the physio,” said Benitez. “He has a small problem with his thigh. He’s trained, and I talked with him (yesterday). He’s been on the pitch.
“Will he be available Sunday? It depends. He’s pushing to be ready.”
Slimani will compete with Joselu and Dwight Gayle up front and Benitez enthused: “He’s a player who knows the league, he’s strong, he can run behind defenders, different things that we don’t have.
“We have players, one can run, one can win in the air, one can be strong, but this one, maybe can do a little bit of everything. That’s another option for me.”
Jesus Gamez remains out for tomorrow, while Rob Elliot and Florian Lejeune are training again, but the match comes too soon.
Benitez, meanwhile, says striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, off on loan to Fulham, could yet have a future at Newcastle.
Benitez said of the Serb: “It was clear that he wanted, and needed, to play games. Now he has an opportunity. Hopefully, he’ll score 25 goals.
“We’ll be happy with that. He’ll have more value. He will come here and say ‘I’m a new player, you have to trust me because I’ve scored 25 goals’. Fine, no problem.”