OPINION
There’s an awful lot of uncertainty surrounding Newcastle United at the moment.
The Magpies secured another year in the Premier League with a fine run of form in the second half of the season, but beyond that safety, there are still a lot of questions to be answered at St. James’ Park.
The most obvious one is the matter of Rafa Benitez’s future at the club, with the Spaniard yet to agree an extension to his current deal on Tyneside, which is set to expire in the very near future.
A slightly less important issue, but one that is becoming equally as pressing, is what will happen to Mo Diame.
The Senegalese international is also out of contact in the coming weeks, and has yet to be offered a new deal by the Toon Army.
And according to the latest report from Turkish outlet Sabah, Fenerbahce are looking to offer him a way out of his Premier League limbo.
That will certainly give Benitez yet another headache to contend with.
The £45,000-a-week midfielder [Spotrac] has been a go to figure for the manager during his time on Tyneside, but whether his contract should be extended or not could prove to be something of a quandary.
At 31, he is beginning to approach the twilight years of his career, and you can understand the reluctance to offer him any kind of meaningful deal with funds clearly at a premium.
Equally, there is certainly an argument to be made for keeping him on the books.
Sometimes it can be a case of better the devil you know.
Benitez can rely on Diame, and finding a replacement of his quality at a cheap enough price could be problematic.
This latest report will do little to clear the increasingly murky waters surrounding his future.
