The Chronicle have revealed that the likes of Adam Armstrong and Jack Colback may have to train with the Academy when they return to the club this summer – with Rafa Benitez admitting that training is overcrowded as it is without all the NUFC loanees.
This could impact more than just Jack Colback and Adam Armstrong too, with Jamie Sterry, Sean Longstaff, and Alex Gilliead all due to return to pre-season training this summer when their loan moves expire.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is another one, however he will have World Cup duties to attend to in June, whilst Henri Saivet, Achraf Lazaar. Rolando Aarons and Matz Sels are also due to return.
Here’s what Rafa’s had to say about the situation, revealing that there’s too many bodies in training as it stands – even without the 6 or 7 loanees who are set to return to Tyneside soon:
“Some players will come back. I need to have a meeting with Steve Nickson and Ben Dawson about it.
“At the moment we don’t need more bodies because everybody is available.
“We even have a problem when we play 11 vs 11 in training because somebody is left out. In terms of competition, it’s difficult for them.
“As I say we have had to leave a couple of players out of training. So we can’t bring in more players if we are leaving some out.
“We have to make sure they (the current first team squad) get minutes in training so they compete in the squad to play.”
This just shows how many players are on our books at the minute, suggesting it could be essential that we flog several players before bringing fresh talent in this summer.
I am amazed that a club as big and professional as NUFC, set up okay with a recruitment team in place, but then appear no one with the responsibility to ‘facilitate’ the off loading of players deemed not to have a place in the squad going forward. If it is “essential that we flog (sic) several players before bringing fresh talent in,” then NUFC need to be pro-active in making that happen. History has shown that it doesn’t happen by itself (eg Colback, Saivet, Lazaar, etc) but that it can be lucrative if handled well (eg Sisoko, Wijnaldum).
Peter(Quote)