Real Sociedad’s La Liga goal-machine Willian Jose admitted that he nearly joined Premier League strugglers Newcastle United during Rafa Benitez’s reign.
Tuesday was a day full of revelations for Newcastle United fans.
First, Jaap Stam told Voetbal International that he had been offered the manager’s job at St James’ Park – a whole three months before Rafa Benitez left to be replaced by Steve Bruce.
And while Newcastle fans weren’t exactly full of regret after missing out on a coach who hasn’t worked in England since being sacked by Reading after a dreadful run of one win in 18 games, the reaction towards Willian Jose’s bombshell later in the day is understandably very different.
Speaking to Marca, the Brazilian striker has admitted that he had a chance to join the Magpies in the summer of 2018, having netted 20 goals for La Liga outfit Real Sociedad the season before.
Unlike Stam, who feels like a bullet dodged even while Bruce wears an almost permanent look of anguish on the sidelines, Jose represents a massive missed opportunity – even if The Mail claims that the former Real Madrid youngster would have cost £45 million at the time.
Jose is a striker with an excellent goalscoring record in Spain’s top flight, and blessed with the brute force, lethal finishing and terrific link play to back up his useful 6ft 2ins frame, he always looked a far more worthy of a £40 milllion+ transfer fee than the struggling Joelinton.
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