According to The Mail’s Craig Hope, West Brom have now activated a clause to extend Salomon Rondon’s clause for another 12 months – meaning we may not have to pay a substantial fee for the striker if we want to sign him permanently next summer.
This means the Venezuelan will NOT be able to leave on a free next summer, meaning the Baggies will now be able to demand a reasonable fee for the striker with him tied down until 2020 at the Hawthorns.
The striker arrived on loan in the closing stages of the transfer window, with us paying a £2m loan fee as part of a ‘loan swap’ that saw Dwight Gayle go the other way.
His £16.5m release clause has also expired, so news of his contract extension means we will not have to negotiate a fee with West Brom if we wish to sign the striker permanently next summer.
WBA have activated 12-month extension in Salomon Rondon contract, meaning he will not be free agent next summer & NUFC will have to pay to make loan move permanent (£16.5m release clause no longer active) https://t.co/UyyCc8xHWa
— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) August 16, 2018
As far as his long term future on Tyneside is concerned, this is a worry and potentially bad news for Benitez.
Even if he does well, will Mike Ashley pay a substantial fee to sign a man who’ll be almost 30 next summer? Given how reluctant he was to pay his £16.5m release clause when he was 28-year old (e.g this summer), I doubt it.
Either way, I’m happy to have him for the season. He’s an upgrade on our previous options and someone who should fit into Rafa’s system very nicely – even if that’s only for a season!
Confused. What is the problem. Rafa will leave at the end of the season so who really cares. Let Cashley sort it out.
Dutch(Quote)
That last line you’ve just typed is EXACTLY why there’s a problem here..
Olly Hawkins(Quote)