Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez was left fuming on Monday after Daniel Sturridge opted to join West Brom on loan for the rest of the season.
Benitez turned to Liverpool striker Sturridge after the Magpies’ stuttering attempts to sign Nicolai Jorgensen from Feyenoord had failed and the Spaniard was confident of tying up a deal to bring the England international to St James’ Park was in place after speaking with the 28-year-old to persuade him to join Newcastle.
The Daily Mail report that Benitez and club officials expected Sturridge to travel to Tyneside on Monday lunchtime to undergo a medical and complete the formalities of the transfer, with Newcastle reportedly agreeing to cover his £130,000-a-week wages and pay Liverpool a £1.5 million loan fee.
But the Magpies were left incensed after it emerged that Birmingham-born Sturridge had done a U-turn and decided to join West Brom, managed by former Newcastle boss Alan Pardew, to be closer to his family who currently reside in the Midlands.
It leaves Benitez in a difficult position with less than 36 hours remaining in the transfer window and the Newcastle hierarchy unwilling to pay the £22 million want for Denmark international Jorgensen, despite the Toon Army desperately requiring a goalscorer to fire them away from the Premier League relegation zone.
