Is Tottenham dud Moussa Sissoko a cautionary tale for Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez?

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Is Tottenham Hotspur flop Moussa Sissoko a cautionary tale for Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez?

Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez has intimated to The Chronicle that he would not be using this summer’s World Cup as an opportunity to scout potential transfers.

Some of football’s finest talents will take centre stage in Russia in a few month’s time to compete for the world’s most coveted trophy.

Like any big international tournament, there is also bound to be a host of unknown quantities whose profiles – and transfer fees – suddenly spike if they impress.

As a result, plenty of Premier League managers will be on the lookout for potential bargains, but the Newcastle manager has spotted a big flaw in this approach – and he’s spot-on.

The Spaniard told The Chronicle: “I am not a fan of the Euros and World Cup in terms of signing players from there because when they go there, what do they have? Something you don’t have for ten months, it’s not guaranteed for ten months.

“When you go to the Euros and the World Cup, everybody wants to go and they are motivated. This motivation for one or two weeks, for some players it is enough to make a name and then go to a top side.

“But after for ten months, maybe they don’t reach the level. I am not impressed with the World Cup or Euros in terms of signing players because they do well there.”

Benitez has witnessed first hand how some mediocre yet motivated players can dazzle on the biggest stage, only to regress after securing a big-money move away on the back of said tournament.

He didn’t mention him by name, but there is every chance that the Newcastle boss had a certain Moussa Sissoko in mind.

Sissoko secured a £30 million move from the Magpies to Tottenham Hotspur in 2016 after lighting up the European Championships, helping France to the final on homesoil.

And considering that the 28-year-old has only managed two goals and three assists in almost 80 games for Tottenham across all competitions, it’s perfectly understandable that Benitez – who sold the Frenchman – has reservations about making the same mistake that Newcastle benefited from once before.