OPINION
Newcastle United have been working on a shoe-string budget for the entirety of this summer’s transfer window, with boss Rafa Benitez unable to bring in a number of players due to an owner with the wrong priorities.
The Spaniard did manage to bring in the likes of Yoshinori Muto, Fabian Schar, Ki Sung-Yeung in, as well as Salomon Rondon and Kenedy on season-long deals.
However, right-back is the position that he failed to recruit cover for, and that could return to bite him now DeAndre Yedlin could be sidelined with a concerning knee injury sustained in the season opener against Tottenham.
The cover he has in that position is now leaving Newcastle exposed to the elements – he only has Paul Dummett, Javier Manquillo and the inexperienced Achraf Lazaar to call upon to fill in for Yedlin’s absence.
Benitez should have never let it go this far, as you can never count on a player to remain uninjured to cover your own back.
Yes, he has an owner unwilling to part ways with some of his cash, but he knew that bringing somebody in was of paramount importance – and he will now have to pick up the pieces.
Newcastle are never going to improve upon their tenth-placed position last season if they continue to expose their weaknesses, and this situation is no different.
Yedlin – who is on £30,000 a week [Spotrac] – is a key figure within the United first-team, and they will definitely be weakened by his absence on the field.
However, the one person they should be looking to blame is Mike Ashley, as they would have never been in this mess if he prioritised his club over his personal ventures.
The Magpies’ back line now looks very vulnerable, and teams will only be looking to take advantage of this – and there is not much Benitez can now do to salvage the situation.
