Newcastle United were linked with Liverpool’s Sheyi Ojo in 2017.
According to The Mirror, Liverpool have made Sheyi Ojo available for around £15million this summer – and that should be enough to prevent Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez from renewing his interest.
The Reds have been busy splashing the cash this summer but are now looking to offload fringe players to raise funds, with the likes of Divock Origi, Danny Ings, Pedro Chirivella and Lazar Markovic potentially available.
Ojo is another name primed for the chopping block, seven years after Liverpool beat top clubs and paid a seven-figure fee to land the winger from Milton Keynes Dons.
Ojo was touted for stardom, but has failed to make the grade at Anfield, making just 13 first-team appearances for the Reds and just two since the start of the 2016-17 season.
Last term, Ojo went out on loan to Fulham, notching four goals and two assists, but started just 18 league games for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side, and played just an hour from the start of April.
Ojo appears to be struggling to fulfil his potential, and whilst he is far from a lost cause at just 21, Newcastle shouldn’t be looking to rekindle their 2017 interest in the winger.
The Sun reported last summer that Newcastle were keen on signing Ojo, but were told that a £10million fee would be required, which ultimately resulted in the Magpies backing away.
Somehow, that asking price appears to have increased, and Newcastle not only have Kenedy back on loan from Chelsea, but should be focusing their efforts on a more proven winger like Andros Townsend rather than spending close to their club-record fee on a youngster like Ojo.
Liverpool may well find a club to sell Ojo to this summer, but it shouldn’t be Newcastle, and manager Benitez should resist any temptation to go back in for Ojo after his underwhelming Championship campaign last term.
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