According to the Chronicle, Rafa Benitez is expecting to sign AT LEAST three more players before now and the end of the transfer window.
Indeed, it’s been a frustrating few months for the Spaniard on Tyneside and reports from the Daily Mirror earlier today suggested he was heading for showdown talks with Mike Ashley over the failure to splash the cash on talents such as Joselu and Andros Townsend.
Still, this report indicates the 57-year-old is still waiting on bids for the aforementioned Stoke marksman, as well as West Ham United goalkeeper Adrian.
Benitez is said to have told the board at St. James’ Park that he cannot go into the new campaign with three senior strikers on his books, with Dwight Gayle, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Emanuel Rivierie currently occupying those berths.
None of those three have proved overly prolific in the top tier (especially the latterly mentioned Frenchman) and Gayle’s absence in today’s 2-0 win over Hellas Verona only showed how light the Magpies are in that department.
Five players have come into the club this summer, though there is still work to be done in order to get the squad into shape for life back in the top tier of English football.
Thoughts?
