Dean Saunders panned the decision by Newcastle United to sign Salomon Rondon in the summer as he suggested it lacked ambition while drooling over Aleksander Mitrovic’s exploits at Fulham.
The BT Sport pundit, regularly seen on BT Sport Score, drooled over the Fulham attacker’s displays in the Premier League this season as he tried to explain why he thought the Magpies would have let him go this summer.
Saunders then went on to suggest that the decision to sign Rondon from West Bromwich Albion on loan in order to cover for Mitrovic’s exit showed a lack of ambition as he rhetorically asked where do you expect to finish in the league as a result.
“Erm maybe the manager at the time thought he couldn’t do it at that level and maybe he was thinking in the Championship it’s a different league that’s why he’s getting goals,” said Saunders on BT Sport Score, as uploaded in a clip to the broadcaster’s website.
“But he has obviously proven now that he can score at this level, he’s a big unit, he’s got some skill and I have to say if you’re signing a player on loan from West Brom who just got relegated then where do you expect to finish?”
OPINION
It’s no surprise that a pundit is raving about Mitrovic as he has been in terrific form for Fulham and is one of the reasons why the London club sit ahead of the Magpies in the table as it stands. The ex Magpies player didn’t have the same success at St James Park in front of goal that he is currently having at Craven Cottage so it only looks like a bad decision to let him go in hindsight. Mitrovic clearly didn’t excel under Benitez as he didn’t suit the manager’s style of player and Magpies supporters shouldn’t concern themselves with how well he is doing. However Saunders comments, while harsh, on the signing of Rondon are hard to argue with. If the Magpies had permanently signed the 6ft 1in tall forward (Transfermarkt) then perhaps there would be a case to make about his recruitment lacking ambition but given that the club weren’t even willing to pay up for a attacker that was facing life in the Championship, it’s hard to claim that his capture screamed ambition.
