Unless Mike Ashley sells Newcastle before January then it could be another frustrating transfer window for Rafa Benitez.
Mike Ashley, owner of Newcastle United, and Lee Charnley, managing director of Newcastle United, both look on from the stands.
Ashley has made it clear he will not be putting up cash to buy new players in the New Year and while Benitez will benefit from TV money in the future, that won’t come into effect until next summer.
DIC negotiator Amanda Staveley takes her seat before Liverpool took on Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League semi-final football match.
Amanda Staveley and the PCP Partners Group are still interested in buying the club, but unless the process speeds up it could be another frustrating window for the manager and the fans.
The likes of Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun and Atletico Madrid’s Fernando Torres have all been linked with the Magpies, but all three would be too expensive under the current financial constraints.
Benitez’s scouting team are working hard to draw up a shortlist for the Spaniard, but there are limits to what they can do and it may be that the Newcastle boss has to once again sell players before buying new ones.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez gestures from the touchline during the English Premier League football match against Manchester United.
Someone that could well leave is Aleksandar Mitrovic, who wants more game time ahead of a potential 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia with Serbia, and if the Toon receive their £15m asking price then that could make things easier.
However, the best case scenario for Benitez is that Ashley sells up quickly and gives the new owners time to send their own funds his way to improve the squad.
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