Lee Ryder claims there’s currently ‘not much’ hope that Salomon Rondon will sign permanently this summer – and fears Mike Ashley will have to budge on his current offer if he wants to keep Rafa Benitez at the club.
Rafa gave a ‘positive’ update regarding his future last week and, as for Rondon, it’s clear he wants to stay at the club, but the future of both remains up in the air.
During a Q&A for the Chronicle, Lee Ryder said the following when asked “Do you think Rondon will sign for NUFC?” – and his response was far from convincing:
“I’m looking around for something that gives us some hope. At the moment there’s not much. Rondon heads back to WBA on Monday and then to the Copa America.
“There will be talks to sign him if Rafa stays but that will depend on the price and his wage demands. He doesn’t fit the profile that Ashley has rolled out.”
It seems West Brom’s success (or failure!) in the play-off’s will play a big part, with Rondon set to be available for £16.5m if they fail to return to the top flight, however this is a pretty unconvincing response from Ryder.
He then said the following when asked “What’s your gut feeling, will Rafa stay?”:
“For me it’s a question of whether Mike Ashley will budge on the offer that’s on the table. If he does Rafa will stay. But there’s a feeling coming out that when Mike Ashley does meet with Rafa he will sell him the case of building the club with him and that means slower progress.
“That’s not what Rafa wants.”
Rafa did state that talks had moved forward last Friday, stating ‘positive talks’ had been held, but this is perhaps a reminder that there’s a way to go yet before Benitez signs a new deal.
As for Rondon, only Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United could hand a player the ‘Player of the Year’ prize, only to be unsure whether he’s ‘too old’ to be signed on a permanent deal.
Loans can often work as a ‘try before you buy’, but if Ashley refuses to sanction this deal this summer it’s clear he had absolutely no intention of signing him in the first place.
If 11 goals, 8 assists & several tireless displays up top show isn’t ‘proving yourself’, what is?!
