According to the Chronicle, Newcastle are ‘yet to make a single bid’ for any new players so far this summer – despite Rafa Benitez making it clear that he was keen to see ‘four or five’ sign before pre-season begins on July 2nd.
This really is typical NUFC in the Ashley era and further proof why Rafa is unprepared to commit his long-term future to a club that constantly undo all the good work he does.
We seem to hold an interest and ‘enquire’ about so many players, but the lack of action and concrete offers is startling – and no doubt absolutely infuriating when Rafa Benitez and his scouting team spend so much time drawing up long lists of targets.
Here’s what Lee Ryder had to say when addressing our transfer progress (or lack of it) so far this summer:
“Newcastle United are yet to make a single bid for a new face this summer – despite the fact that pre-season training starts in just 19 days time.
“It is believed that Benitez was keen to have four or five new faces through the door in time for the first day of pre-season training on July 2 but that now looks increasingly unlikely to happen.
“Benitez’s back-room and scouting team produced a lengthy shortlist of targets to bring in this summer but there has been no progress in the transfer market so far for the Magpies .
“United have made enquiries and had quotations back on several targets and have been offered a host of players in the Premier League and from abroad.
“But there is yet to be a significant breakthrough in the window.”
With the World Cup coming up and this summer’s transfer window ending earlier than in previous years (with Premier League clubs voting to have it shut BEFORE the season starts), the need to do business early was bigger than ever – yet it looks like we’ve failed to heed Rafa’s warning once again.
I understand that we do have a few too many high earners or pieces of deadwood that need shipping to create space and trim the wage bill, but that is not an excuse to bring any incomings to a halt.
Ashley prides himself on being a good businessmen and not overpaying, yet the longer we wait the more prices could go up. Didn’t he learn last summer? Or does he feel like he can get away with it once again after seeing Rafa’s ‘Championship side’ still manage to finish in the top 10?
Either way he’s playing a ridiculously risky game. If we won’t buck our ideas up quickly then Rafa has every right to walk.
