According to the Times’ reliable north-east reporter George Caulkin, Newcastle are no closer to reaching agreement with Rafa Benitez over a new deal – with no talks progressing over one-year and five-year deals on the table since last summer.
Caulkin states that a stand off of sorts has occurred – with “no substantive discussions” taking place since the summer.
It seems talks have failed to go anywhere up until this point with Rafa wanting “investment in the team, training ground and academy” – and a one off big money buy to sign Miguel Almiron doesn’t suddenly solve all of his concerns.
Here’s what he’s had to say during his latest piece for the Times:
“Since the end of the summer transfer window, there have been no substantive discussions about a new contract.
“Back then, Newcastle offered Benítez a five-year deal and then a one-year extension and have since reiterated that the latter remains on the table. Benítez wanted evidence that the club would “do things right,” meaning investment in the team, training ground and academy.”
Although things have every chance of changing, with things likely to come to a head between now and May, this is a reminder that our January business was probably a move that simply kept Rafa from walking, not something that suddenly convinces him to stay beyond the summer.
Spending one off amounts that break our transfer record is great, but it can only be the start of spending as far as Mike Ashley investment is concerned.
Rafa clearly wants to build the club way beyond just our starting 11, with his wish for improved training facilities and a better Academy something we’ve heard about for months now.
Recent reports have suggested that Ashley may come up with a compromise and offer him a three-year deal which include some spending assurances, but time will tell if it’s enough to tempt the Spaniard into staying on Tyneside.
Olly, I personally think a “Sale” is still in the offing, why would Ashley if staying, put the ‘Almiron’ deal through a bank loan (remember every Premier League team is entitled to a £20m interest free loan every season, Ashley over looked this debt when acquiring Newcastle United left by Shepard and Hall, currently the interest free debt owed now by Newcastle United to Mash Holdings) when the club as a business HAS made a profit to accounts since our return, and are still owed monies from sales of Sissoko/Wijnaldum and probably Mitrovic’s sale is the same (£5m every season till debt is paid) match day profits, tv money all acquired to a profit again since our return..This leads me to think that investors valued the club at much less than Ashleys value of as eared £300m, Rockerfeller Capital Investment are no mugs, they know what is what when it comes to a price, even with a greater potential return with investment it’s still a risk at £300m, let’s face it the ground needs developed corporately for today’s modern game, training ground and youth development, a lot of extra factors, so maybe Ashley thinks adding Almiron this way will increase the look of his valuation of the club and bring them licking there lips ??? He’s span another dice, one possibly has landed, he needs Rafa to sign to land the second dice……ole snake eyes….
Thumper76(Quote)
Olly man, when will you start writing your own material? You just recycle every single article the Chronical put out and 99% of us have read it already.
Why do we need to hear the same story from you? All you do is put the same story out with your own added negative opinion?
Do we need an hourly reminder from you how bad things are?
Miller(Quote)
It’s a blog that rounds up news / opinions on NUFC in the media. But by no means is this all that’s posted on here.
I write pre-match previews and post-match reports evert week, do an ‘opposition opinion’ piece chatting to an opposition fan each week and an in-depth player ratings piece for each game.
Yes there’s a lot of ‘news’ pieces posted on here, but this is a blog that rounds it all up – because not everyone reads George Caulkin’s articles in the Times, all of the Chronicle’s pieces and everything said by the likes of Sky Sports, The Telegraph etc. etc..
If you don’t like it then maybe the blog’s not for you mate, but I put a lot of effort into this and certainly don’t put a negative spin on everything. That’s nonsense and suggests to me that you don’t read a great deal of what I add to these news pieces. Have you read all the upbeat pieces I’ve done on Almiron? The opposition opinion pieces? This Q&A I did with a Paraguayan reporter who knows Almiron well, for example?
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2019/02/01/exclusive-roberto-rojas-opens-up-about-miguel-almiron-a-must-read-qa-for-nufc-fans/
Genuinely interested to see if you have or not as it seems like these are the sort of pieces you’d be more keen to read.
Regarding how ‘bad things are’ – I apologise if *some* things come over negatively, but I’m not going to paint things out to be something they aren’t. For example, is Rafa suddenly going to sign a new deal tomorrow because Ashley has backed him on deadline day with ONE club record deal? Of course not.
I try to be as positive – but being honest and realistic is the most important thing for me.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
To be honest, I don’t think that Ashley fully understands the need and requirement of a good training facility and Academy development so he can’t see why Rafa wants/needs them to be invested in.
Come on he doesn’t invest in staff development in Sports Direct and keeps them on no contract and minimum wage, so invest in this….don’t be daft!
Brian Hall(Quote)