Former Newcastle United striker Mick Quinn has labelled the club’s prolonged summer pursuit of Salomon Rondon ‘ridiculous’, and slammed owner Mike Ashley for his recent dealings.
Manager Rafa Benitez identified Rondon as his top striker target early on in the window but a deal for the Venezuela international was not completed until the final week or so of the summer.
Speaking in a column for the Chronicle, Quinn said: “Even though I think Rondon is a good addition, that deal itself was ridiculous too. It took more than 10 weeks to complete – and in the end he was only brought in on a loan deal, and not even as a permanent signing.
“Transfer window after transfer window Rafa is having to shop in Aldi, rather than at M&S. Or, given Ashley’s business dealings over the last week, it would be more appropriate to say at Primark rather than House of Fraser.
“Rafa is having to operate like a second-hand car dealer by trying to maximise what he has to work with.”
OPINION
Quinn is spot on in everything he says here, with the Rondon saga going on way too long this summer. It was reported that Newcastle had identified the powerful striker as a top target seriously early on in the window, and yet it took until the final few days for a loan deal to be completed. If Benitez had been backed sufficiently then the club could have sealed that deal within days of the window starting and Rondon would have completed a full pre-season with the squad. That in turn could have led to things going differently on opening day against Tottenham, with the Venezuelan causing big issues for the Spurs defence. Anyhow, Benitez has done admirably with the cards he was dealt, and Newcastle look like they have enough to survive the season. Fans will now just have to hope that Ashley leaves the club sooner rather than later, and they can then leave these dark days behind them.
