Rafa Benitez has been talking to the press today ahead of tomorrow’s game with Swansea and the gaffer has made a pretty shocking admission – he STILL does not know his budget for the January window.
This it totally unacceptable and quite a farce now really. We’re almost half way through the window and Benitez made it clear less than two weeks ago that he’d like our business to be concluded by January 20th. It’s the 12th, and not only do we have no one through the door, he doesn’t even know his budget.
Here’s what he’s had to say to the press today when asked for a transfer update:
“We are still working on things. I am hopeful we will do something. (No) I still don’t know the budget but we are working on it.”
“We have a lot of people working, talking to agents, giving us names and options. I have to concentrate on games and Saturday is an important game for us.”
Disgraceful from Ashley. Rafa is clearly bitting his tongue here too – he’ll be furious and rightly so.
Benitez then touched on potential outgoing and incomings, saying they have not received any permanent offers for players, but have received and enquired about loan deals:
“We don’t have any offers on the table that say ‘we want to buy this player, we will give you 15, 20 millions.’
“We have a lot of enquiries for our players on loan – like we are doing with other teams.”
“We are not interested in loans out.
“We have to move players because we need positions in the squad. But we don’t have to sell to buy. If players go it will be because we have replacements.”
Interesting last line from Rafa there. ‘We won’t have to sell to buy’ and players will only leave if we have replacements. It’s all well and good, but he needs a budget first before he can think of any of this happening!
In the circumstances, it really is shocking. Our Premier League status could end up depending on the deals we do in January and, at present, Ashley appears to have no interest in helping out his manager, his club and his asset that he hopes to sell to Amanda Staveley.
What an absolute farce this club is at the minute – how can a manager not know how much he has to spend during a transfer window ?
Praying more everyday that this takeover happens. ??
— GallowgateShots (@GallowgateShots) January 12, 2018
Hears hoping for good news soon, but I get the feeling we’ll be getting loans at best this month.
Hmm. Scary thought – does Mike Ashley feel the “parachute” funding if Newcastle are relegated will put more cash in his pocket than an outright sale?
Dave(Quote)