Rafael Benitez has only managed to bring in one new player to Newcastle United this summer – and Martin Skrtel will not be coming to St James’ Park.
It’s little wonder, then, that the manager is growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of incomings at St James’ Park. So far, only Christian Atsu has put pen to paper on a permanent deal – and he spent the entirety of last season on loan from Chelsea.
This is despite the ever growing raft of names being linked with Newcastle. One of which was former Liverpool hardman Martin Skrtel.
Martin Skrtel spent eight years at Liverpool
However, it doesn’t look like the 32-year-old will be leaving Istanbul any time soon.
“I don’t want to leave, I have settled in and want to remain at Fenerbahce,” the experienced defender, who joined for around £5 million last summer after falling out of favour under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, told Turkish Football.
Another blow
And this presents a further blow to Benitez. The Spaniard knows Skrtel well, making him the most expensive defender in the club’s history when he arrived for £6 million from Zenit St Petersburg in January 2008.
“He is aggressive, quick and good in the air,” Benitez said at the time in quotes reported by the BBC. “He is very competitive, but his mentality for me is very good.”
And, despite his advancing years, Skrtel has not lost those attributes. Yet, it appears that Newcastle’s search for defensive reinforcements will go on.
Links with Harry Maguire, Ryan Shawcross, Wes Morgan and co have come to nothing so far and Skrtel too appears to have slipped through their net.
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