Newcastle United did not make a single signing during the January transfer window.
A report in the Daily Mirror has suggested that Mike Ashley plans to make up for Newcastle United’s lack of activity during the January transfer window this summer, but on one simple condition.
The Magpies headed into last month at the top of the table, but had been handed warning signs that their quest to return to the Premier League at the first attempt would not be a procession, having lost twice in December as well as in their first game in January, which was a 1-0 defeat away at relegation candidates Blackburn Rovers.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez
Understandably therefore, Rafael Benitez was hugely frustrated by the club’s inability to make any signings during the entire window, the Mirror reports.
But while the board were unhappy with the Spaniard voicing his disappointment about the quiet window, the Mirror reports that Ashley is ready to give the manager his backing in the summer as long as Benitez leads the team to promotion.
Mike Ashley
While Newcastle have perhaps left the door open for their promotion rivals ever so slightly in recent weeks, there is no question that they are still in the driving seat in the race for a top two spot.
They are six points clear of Reading and have a game in hand over the Royals. So while their lack of January spending may harm their chances of going up as champions, they surely already have a squad good enough to make sure that they still go up automatically.
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