Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has told the Chronicle that the club’s out of contract players will find out “soon” whether they will be offered new deals for next season.
The Spaniard is moving swiftly ahead with the club’s summer transfer plans as he prepares his squad for the Premier League, and he says he will hold discussions with his backroom team before he tells the players whether they will be retained:
“They will know soon. The majority of them will know, if not all of them. After the meeting we will start working. We will give our ideas and have discussions with agents.”
Midfielders Vurnon Anita, Yoan Gouffran, Sammy Ameobi and Haris Vuckic all have contracts that expire at the end of the June. The latter two are likely to be released but the futures of both Anita and Gouffran are uncertain.
Both have played significant roles in Newcastle’s promotion from the Championship with Anita having played 31 games and Gouffran 45 matches this season. Benitez has some tough decisions to make as he needs to maximise both his transfer and wage budget in order to build a squad of the highest quality capable of competing in the Premier League.
It does look like one decision has already been made. Numerous sources say that Christian Atsu will sign for the club permanently from Chelsea after spending the season on loan at St James’ Park.
