Rafa Benitez has made it clear that not all of the want-away players will be allowed to leave St James Park this summer, reports the Chronicle.
The Newcastle United manager has made it clear that the club comes first, even in this day and age when ‘player power’ rules:
It depends on each one.
“Some players maybe we will need them – and they will have to stay. Some players we will know that we can replace them for good players and they can leave.
“But it depends on each one, the positions, the offers – a lot of things.
“In the end it depends on us, so we have to decide if we want to keep a player or not.
“But what I want are players who are 100-per-cent convinced that they have to stay here and they have to compete and they have to win.
“If we cannot do that now, maybe they will need one month, maybe two months, to realise where they are – but no rush.
In some cases, the club’s best interests may turn out to be financial. It’s a reality the Spaniard is well aware of and I think we’ve already seen that in action this summer. Georginio Wijnaldum could have been made to stay but £25m in fees was too good to turn down.
If someone decides to meet Sissoko’s fee of £35m, the same logic will apply, I am sure.
And we should have no issue with that. We’re not in the league of Arsenal, Manchester City, United or Chelsea; transfer sales are important cash for the club to eventually receive.
Most importantly, Rafa nailed it with the comments about commitment. We can keep the malcontents on board but will their negativity be counter-productive if we hit the skids during the season?
I like his forcefulness in making the point about the club being in control, even if we know it isn’t entirely correct. A strong manager for a big club.
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