Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez has a major decision to make with goalkeeping duo Freddie Woodman and Rob Elliot both eyeing January loan exits, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper report that youngster Woodman is desperate to find regular playing time with an EFL or Scottish Premiership side, with the 21-year-old having been on loan with Aberdeen last season.
The Chronicle claim that Republic of Ireland international Elliot could also leave on loan, with the 32-year-old currently failing to get in the matchday squad as third-choice stopper.
It is said that Benitez now has to decide which player will be allowed to leave temporarily, with an exit for both out of the question.
OPINION
This is indeed a major decision for Benitez, with both players obviously unhappy with their current situations. Both cannot leave however, and it will be tough for the Spaniard to break it to the player forced to stay and remain in the cold on Tyneside. While he will obviously want to keep everyone happy, it is pretty clear that Woodman is the player who should be allowed to leave. The young goalkeeper is a real talent, and has been earmarked as a future first-team player. To get to that point he needs game time, and if that does not come on loan, then Woodman will eventually seek a permanent exit from the club. With his current deal running until 2020, that exit would likely come sooner rather than later, and would be a huge blow for the Magpies. To keep the player happy, Benitez must send him out on loan in January, and keep Elliot around. Then, when the summer rolls around, the club can work out a solution which suits everyone, and will likely see the Republic of Ireland international leave the club permanently.
