Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham United are reportedly set to sign Jonjo Shelvey from Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United in the summer transfer window.
If reports from the Sun (4 March, page 69) are to be believed, Newcastle United are set to make £20 million from the sale of a player who has not even been guaranteed a place in their match day squad in recent weeks.
It is understood that West Ham are set to sign their long-time target Jonjo Shelvey with the former Liverpool midfielder expected to join his boyhood club.
Shelvey is one of the most gifted and underrated central midfielders in the Premier League on his day and there is no reason to believe that he wouldn’t thrive under a manager like Manuel Pellegrini, who should get the best out of his play-making abilities.
But the fact that Shelvey was nowhere to be seen as Newcastle lost 2-0 at the London Stadium on Saturday speaks volumes. Instead, he spent the weekend recovering from an outing for the Magpies’ U23 side against Fulham.
With Rafa Benitez seemingly unwilling to put his trust in a player whose temper often overshadows his technique, Shelvey has slipped down the pecking order and is now fifth choice at St James’ Park – behind the resurgent Isaac Hayden and rising star Sean Longstaff.
So Newcastle should have no qualms about biting West Ham’s hand off if a £20 million offer arrives on the table.
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