Newcastle United are reportedly considering a move to keep the West Bromwich Albion striker in the Premier League.
Rondon’s £16 million release clause is supposedly a big factor in the interest – Newcastle aren’t exactly famed for splashing the cash these days – but the Venezuelan would also offer the first real piece of business for Rafa Benitez.
That might be quite a harsh thing to say considering the Spaniard has brought in some decent players to the Newcastle squad, although it’s difficult to deny that they haven’t been top tier signings.
The money has been spent on either Championship grade talents – a very smart move that brought about immediate promotion back to the Premier League – or, as seen last summer, gambles on lower-level and young players.
Rondon would be different, however. At 28-years-old he is right in the middle of his prime while also being completely settled in the top-flight after three years with West Brom.
His goal record with the Baggies isn’t phenomenal but it is decent, hitting ten goals in two seasons and eight in the other – about as good as you could expect at West Brom these past few years.
But what Rondon offers above all is that he’s truly a specialist player. There is no gamble or ‘let’s see what he can do’ about him – you know exactly what he’ll offer and it’s up to the boss to get the best out of it.
Rondon will work hard, hold up the ball, win headers, and be that physical premise up top that very few defenders can handle and teammates can work around.
You need a good manager to know how to use such a player properly, how to build around him and get the most out of his talents – and Benitez is up there with the very best at that.
The Newcastle boss has built himself a great reputation with the fans already – but with potential signings like this, the best is very much yet to come.
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