Pete Graves expects former Newcastle United loanee Salomon Rondon will reunite with Rafael Benitez in China this summer.
Graves claims that the Venezuelan is likely to move to Dalian Yifang in the transfer window, the club Benitez joined after leaving the Magpies at the end of June.
The Sky Sports journalist wrote on his personal Twitter account on Sunday that he expects the 29-year-old to make the move to China, despite interest from Newcastle and West Ham.
As reported elsewhere, I fully expect @salorondon23 to join @rafabenitezweb in #China. #DalianYifang #nufc #WBA
— Pete Graves (@PeteGravesTV) July 7, 2019
The West Brom forward spent last season on loan at St James’ Park and holds a reported release clause of £16.5million at the Baggies.
OPINION
This will no doubt be majorly disappointing news for Newcastle fans, but an update they also most likely expected. There isn’t much for the Magpies to be positive about at the minute, with the departure of Benitez being followed by the sale of their top-scorer Ayoze Perez. The move which saw Perez go to Leicester City left Newcastle with only two strikers in Dwight Gayle and Joselu. The pair have only scored a combined total of 31 Premier League goals in 167 games [Transfermarkt], which surely meant a move for Rondon must have been a priority, with the Venezuelan scoring a more than a third of that total in one season at St James’ Park. No potential manager will surely be interested in taking over with the lack of options available and the potential permanent signing of Rondon could have given out any candidates a signal of the intent of what to expect should they take over. The 29-year-old excelled in a lone striker role last season, winning five aerial battles on average per 90 minutes in the Premier League [WhoScored], and should have been the club’s top priority alongside Benitez – with Ashley set to miss out on both.
