Has Benitez shown his transfer prowess at Newcastle in a different way?

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Rafa Benitez will have been frustrated not to make more January signings at Newcastle.

It is clear for all to see the frustration on Rafa Benitez’s face during recent transfer windows. Now let down by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley for a third window, Benitez is facing a mammoth task in keeping the Toon in the Premier League.

In January 2017, Benitez was more than vocal about his side’s failure to complete signings – notably a return for Andros Townsend – while last summer hardly proved any better as he brought in just six players.

At the start of last month’s window, the former Real Madrid and Liverpool manager handed a striker shortlist to Ashley but the club’s eventual solution was to sign Islam Slimani. It is believed he was not on that list to begin with.

Throughout his time in management, Benitez has been renowned for his work in the transfer market. Although he has failed to bring in either the quality or the quantity of players he would have liked, he has still proved a genius in the most recent window.

An example of that has been the sudden increase in form of midfielder Mo Diame. The 30-year-old has had plenty of critics throughout the 2017-18 campaign and was even accused of under performing last season in the Championship.

Fans, then, would have been forgiven for wanting the Toon to cash in on the former West Ham and Hull City star, when Turkish duo Goztepe and Sivasspor wanted to sign the Senegal international for £2.5million in January, according to the Sun.

However, Benitez has placed his faith in Diame and the Toon’s number 10 has begun to repay the faith shown in him of late. Now, he is arguably Newcastle’s first-choice central midfielder.

He has started seven of Newcastle’s last eight Premier League matches, scoring against West Ham and on Sunday at Crystal Palace. A rejuvenated Diame is beginning to show why Benitez decided to lure him north from Hull.

It shows that Benitez’s transfer prowess is still ticking, but perhaps the Spaniard has had to rely on his skills in the man-management department in order to see Diame thrive.