Rafa Benitez signed Martin Skrtel at Liverpool and wanted him at Napoli – so he surely shouldn’t reject a reunion at Premier League Newcastle United.
Rafa Benitez is obviously a big admirer of Martin Skrtel.
Back in the summer of 2008, Benitez splashed out £7 million to make the then Zenit St Petersburg centre-back the most expensive defender in Liverpool’s history, as reported by The Telegraph. Skrtel, a mean-faced Slovakian willing to put his head where it hurts, immediately became a vital part of Benitez’s first-team at Anfield.
And, five years ago, The Mail stated that Benitez was hoping to reunite with Skrtel at Napoli. The Spaniard had embarked on an expensive overhaul of his Napoli squad, signing Gonzalo Higuain, Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon from Real Madrid, but the Serie A giants did not have enough funds left to pay the £12 million Liverpool wanted for Skrtel.
So if Fenerbahce want to cash in on the now 33-year-old this summer, it makes sense that they would offer him to Newcastle – a side managed, of course, by Benitez.
Fotomac claims that Newcastle have been handed the chance to sign Skrtel this summer as Fener aim to get him off their books. It is not known, however, whether The Magpies would be willing to bring the veteran defender back to English football.
Skrtel’s best days might be behind him but he is a player with huge experience and would be an upgrade on either Chancel Mbemba or Ciaran Clark.
And considering how highly Benitez rates him, and the fact that he tried and failed to sign him at Napoli, the popular Spaniard should not miss a chance to work with Skrtel once again. A very tempting signing has just been handed to him on a plate.
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