Newcastle are desperate to keep Chelsea winger Kenedy at the club next season after the Brazilian scored twice in the 3-0 victory over Southampton.
The 22-year-old has been a mainstay on the left-flank since joining late in the January transfer window and opened his Newcastle account after just 63 seconds at St James’ Park on Saturday, controlling a lofted ball from Jonjo Shelvey on his chest before swivelling and dispatching the ball into the bottom corner in one fluid movement.
A second came just before the half-hour mark, Kenedy tapping home from an unselfish Dwight Gayle pass in a performance that underlined why Rafa Benitez pursued him last summer and fought to secure him on loan for the remainder of the season in January.
And the Evening Standard claim that Benitez will attempt to make Kenedy, whom Chelsea who paid Fluminense £6.3million for in 2015, a permanent addition when the transfer window opens in May.
The Blues refused to include an-option-to-buy clause in the deal that took the winger to Tyneside, whilst the future of head coach Antonio Conte, who is expected to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the campaign according to the Standard, could have a significant bearing on where Kenedy will play his football next term.
