Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez has commented on the club’s transfer situation.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has told the Shields Gazette that his squad is too big, leaving the Magpies with an obvious problem in the transfer market.
Benitez has managed to bring in three new faces since winning promotion back to the Premier League, with defender Florian Lejeune, full back Javier Manquillo and winger Jacob Murphy all arriving on permanent deals.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez
Winger Christian Atsu also made his loan move from Chelsea permanent, whilst Sky Sports report that Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mikel Merino is on the verge of joining Newcastle on loan.
The 21-year-old allegedly underwent a medical on Wednesday ahead of signing for Newcastle having struggled for first-team football last season, but Benitez may not be done signing players just yet.
Another goalkeeper should be on Benitez’s radar given that neither Rob Elliot or Karl Darlow appear to be Benitez’s long-term shot-stopper, whilst another left back could arrive to challenge Paul Dummett.
Merino will solidify the Newcastle midfield, whilst Benitez could still look for a creative attacking midfielder, another winger and a centre forward, having allowed Daryl Murphy to join Nottingham Forest.
Now, manager Benitez has told the Shields Gazette that he still wants to bring in more players, but Newcastle are facing a major problem in that the squad is already too big, and players must leave in order to make new signings.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez
“Every manager wants to sign more players,” said Benitez. “And that is especially important when you are promoted from the Championship to the Premier League. It’s maybe not the same when you’re already in the Premier League and you need three or four maximum. When you are changing division, it’s more difficult and you have to bring more players.”
“But we have a problem, which is obvious, which is we already have too many players. We have to move players out if we want to move players in. That’s something we have to manage between now and the end of the window,” he added.
The likes of Darlow, Tim Krul, Grant Hanley, Achraf Lazaar, Massadio Haidara, Henri Saivet and Emmanuel Riviere figure to be prime candidates for the chopping block, and having admitted that sales are needed in order to make more signings, Benitez will be hoping that some of those players move on imminently.
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