Newcastle United were reportedly offered the chance to land new Crystal Palace signing Max Meyer this summer.
Max Meyer has been linked with some of the biggest clubs on the planet since breaking through at Schalke. So few would have expected to see him in a Crystal Palace shirt once his contract with the Bundesliga outfit expired.
The Eagles have certainly pulled off a major coup landing a German international for free, although that is not to say the deal for Meyer can be called ‘cheap’. According to the Mail, 22-year-old Meyer is set to earn £170,000 a week at Selhurst Park.
And that is why Premier League rivals Newcastle United could not afford him.
According to the Chronicle, Newcastle were offered the chance to sign Meyer a few weeks ago. But, when crunching the numbers, it became apparent that the four-time international would have set the club back around £35 million over the next four years.
As a result, manager Rafa Benitez turned his nose up at the chance to sign Meyer, knowing that his wages put him well outside the club’s budget. The Chronicle adds that Jonjo Shelvey is currently the Magpies’ top earner on £100,000 a week.
So this is yet another example of Benitez being forced to operate with one hand tied behind his back.
Meyer is a player who would have comfortably improved Newcastle’s starting XI, but Benitez is still being forced to sift through the bargain bucket instead.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
