The defender hasn’t pulled on a Newcastle United shirt since November and appears unlikely to do so again under Benitez.
It’s a testament to how far Chancel Mbemba has fallen at Newcastle United that few would be surprised if the bruising centre-back departed Tyneside in the summer. Undisputed first choice even in the latter days of last season once Rafael Benitez took over at St James’ Park, the 22-year-old has tumbled down the pecking order, beyond Ciaran Clark, Jamaal Lascelles and even Grant Hanley.
As it stands, Mbemba has only appeared seven times in the Championship this season, his last game the home defeat to Blackburn in November, and The Chronicle reports that Benitez lost faith in the defender a long time ago.
The publication claims the manager was less than impressed with the fact that Mbemba had not managed to fully grasp the English language since arriving from Anderlecht as far back as the summer.
Consequently, Mbemba was unable to carry about Benitez’s tactical instructions. The Chronicle reports Benitez asked his defenders to hit diagonals balls long to bypass Wolves’ high press in the September clash at St James’ Park though the defender, unable to understand the instructions, was caught in possession four times in the opening 20 minutes.
He eventually conceded an own goal, capping a 2-0 home defeat. And it now seems that Mbemba’s best hope of regular first-team football is to leave St James’.
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