Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez is reportedly a big fan of Chelsea’s Premier League starlet Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
All eyes will be on Newcastle United in the January transfer window. Rafa Benitez is in desperate need of new players, with the Magpies still without a win in ten Premier League games so far this season. But whether owner Mike Ashley will make funds available remains to be seen.
The Chronicle reports that Benitez is unsure what sort of a budget he will have, with the former Real Madrid and Chelsea boss believing that at least three new players are needed.
The report has even identified Benitez’s dream signing – none other than Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The 22-year-old’s lack of opportunities at Chelsea have been well established. But he has seized the most rare of chances in Maurizio Sarri’s first-team of late, following up a stunning hat-trick against BATE Borisov in the Europa League with a goal and 60 minutes of action in the 4-0 win away at Burnley on Sunday.
Unfortunately for Benitez, however, Newcastle will be prevented from signing two players on loan from the same Premier League club, and Kenedy is already at St James’ Park on a temporary basis.
Newcastle would have to pay big instead to bring Loftus-Cheek to Tyneside and Chelsea will certainly demand way more than the £16.5 million the Magpies paid for their current record signing Michael Owen in 2005.
Benitez’s dream signing, then, looks unlikely to become a reality.
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