There’s a report in the Express today that says that Rafa may try to take some players from Real Madrid and indeed we have been linked with one of their players so far this summer.
We’ve been linked with goalkeeper Kiko Casilla who Rafa signed for Madrid back in the summer of 2015.
The Express are quoting journalist Pete Jenson, who says he thinks Rafa could well use his contracts at the famous Madrid club, and indeed we need some class players brought in to add to the five we have already transferred in for a net of only £4.5M.
Rafa Benitez – wants more class in Newcastle side
Jenson had this to 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast:
“I think it’s one of a few Spaniards who might turn up at Newcastle.”
“There is overbooking at Real Madrid and Rafa Benitez does know the club very well.”
“I think winger Lucas Vazquez is another he might look at and that’s one of the advantages of taking Rafa as their manager.”
“He has that vast experience of European football and having been recently at Real Madrid, I think not just Spanish players but Madrid players.”
“That may be a way Newcastle can build this season.”
We’ve watched Vazquez quite a bit, and he looks a very decent player although he doesn’t get much playing time for Real.
And if Kylian Mbappe completes a move from Monaco to Real Madrid for some big money maybe he will become available, and we could take him on loan with an option to buy?
Newcastle are delicately balanced right now because we have five good players but we need at least two class players who will, therefore, be relatively expensive.
But we must spend the money available this summer.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
58 comments so far
yorkshire_magpie
Jul 29, 2017 at 10:47 PM
Comment #41Is the lucaz vasquez link really true? Many sources reporting that Rafa has really good relationship with Real Madrid.
Tsunki
Jul 29, 2017 at 10:48 PM
Comment #42I honestly can’t generate any enthusiasm for these friendly kickabouts. It’s hard to gauge the value of the opposition and what level of test they present. The churn of players means you can’t possibly be testing out formations or tactics. So it boils down to seeing who is sharpest, fittest, keenest and injury free out of rafas favourites. You can’t possibly read a negative or a positive out of the scoreline. They’re just training routines.
jimmysmith
Jul 29, 2017 at 10:59 PM
Comment #43I’m not a huge Gayle and Ritchie fan to be honest. I think they are basically the finished articles who fall into the too good for the Championship, but not good enough to start for a good epl side. Dummett and Clark are similar. We have a few that we probably would prefer to offload now like Colback, Diame, Rivierre, Hanley, Krul etc, but there are others like Ritchie and Gayle who probably are entering their final season with us. I’m most excited by players like Murphy, Mitro, Aarons, Shelvey, Hayden, Perez, Mbemba etc who do I think have the quality and potential to be part of a top 8 squad.
Tsunki
Jul 29, 2017 at 11:13 PM
Comment #44Ritchie and Gayle might be in their final season but Mitrovic and Perez part of a convincing top eight team? Hmm. Only if the other nine carried them i think.
beermonkey
Jul 29, 2017 at 11:22 PM
Comment #45Jimmy
Mitro perez Mbemba couldn’t hold down regular place in a championship team can’t see them making it in a top 8 squad
martoon
Jul 29, 2017 at 11:28 PM
Comment #46Jimmy – I can’t agree about Gayle and Richie. They’ve both played in the Premiership and Gayle did well in the limited games he played and Richie was practically POS for Bournemouth. I think it is players like Hayden and Murphy we can’t be sure how they’ll cope in the Premiership!
magspuggy
Jul 29, 2017 at 11:39 PM
Comment #47Mitro and perez are going to smash the epl this year. Both players will come good and i will take back all the nastys i said about perez.
Ritchie is a grafter and with diame beside him will provide many options for attacking.
Sdj will be our star” like a new signing” player and we will never doubt our like news again.
Hwtl
jimmysmith
Jul 29, 2017 at 11:42 PM
Comment #48I just think all those young players mentioned have the quality and youth and so potential to start in a top 8 epl side in a two or three seasons. I doubt Ritchie and Gayle can manage the same, but sure they will be important for us this term.
chicousa
Jul 29, 2017 at 11:52 PM
Comment #49jimmysmith
An interesting, conversation stimulating comment. 🙂
I think we have an entire team of players who have not completely proven themselves at EPL level. The key word there is completely. Even Shelvey, who is arguably the most skilled player on the squad still has not completely proven himself….as in could play regularly for a top 6 team.
TyneMouth
Jul 30, 2017 at 12:54 AM
Comment #50Good to see the ‘Heart’ approval function is now in operation, however there needs to be a balance.
It would appropriate if there was a ‘thumbs down’ icon, so that readers could register disapproval regarding a comment.
Ideally, there could be a ‘comment’ icon, so a ‘conversation’ could develop in response to the original posting.
Just a thought…
Essex Geordie Bill
Jul 30, 2017 at 1:03 AM
Comment #51I said before the game I wouldn’t be to upset if we lost so long as we performed well and it appears from reading the comments we did, in the second half at least.
I’ll be very surprised if the starting line up against Wolfsberg is the same as today’s, I reckon the next two games will be more the team he will play against Spurs with less chopping and changing with subs.
TyneMouth
Jul 30, 2017 at 1:04 AM
Comment #52KACPER.
Thanks for the improvements to the blog, much appreciated…
Essex Geordie Bill
Jul 30, 2017 at 1:08 AM
Comment #53Just came in after spending the evening with friends so thought I’d drop in quickly to catch up on the game.
Off to bed now and will watch the game on NUFC TV (hopefully) when they show it.
Bobbybee
Jul 30, 2017 at 5:32 AM
Comment #54Jon Jo Shelvey is going to bring something special to the PL this season and likely to break through to the England side for the World Cup finals. He can change a game with a simple pass and not many players can manage that..
Ron Knee
Jul 30, 2017 at 6:38 AM
Comment #55Tsunki@42
A friendly is a bit like an assault course with live ammunition!
carl
Jul 30, 2017 at 6:39 AM
Comment #56Talk of a £500million transfer for Neymar is just crazy transfer money. The inflationary spiral has taken root here and must stop. It’s killing the development of British-born players and the long-term sustainability of Premier League football. The FA should follow the example of the Chinese FA and levy a tax of the same amount as a player’s transfer fee to fund school and club community sports.
The negativity on here following a friendly defeat would be laughable if
It wasn’t from those linking it to an inevitable defeat to Spurs. It says more about their limited understanding of what’s required in preparation for the season ahead.
The majority are the worst sort of armchair critics.
sing in the corner
Jul 30, 2017 at 7:07 AM
Comment #57It’s obvious that some sort of cap is needed, on transfer fees and wages. But the cat’s out of the bag now.. I can’t see how it could be implemented. FFP is just a joke. Football is in the hands of the big broadcasting companies and those whose primary concern is advertising their brand.
When you have one club with the power to blow billions on a squad and another in the same league on the bones of their @rse how can there ever be a real competition again.
carl
Jul 30, 2017 at 7:12 AM
Comment #58Listening to Benitez talk he broadly agrees with Ashley on signing players under 26 who he can develop. Those with potentially high resale values but that, sometimes, you really do need to speculate to accumulate.
Benitez was full of praise for Charnely who’s had to cope with him and Barnes the lawyer. Barnes was at St James Park for six months and looking at efficiency savings. This attention to detail could explain why the signing of Lejeune was so protracted, though Lejeune’s contract contained an £8.6m release clause.
Rafa’s body language suggests a man happy in his job and looking forward to a good but challenging season ahead.