With talks between Rafa Benitez and Newcastle stretching into another week, the effects of not starting negotiations sooner are being felt. The nightmare scenario of missing out on signing Salomón Rondón looks increasingly likely.
News emerged last week that Wolves were prepared to meet the striker’s release clause at West Brom, and today, similar stories are circulating that West Ham will do the same.
All of this uncertainty could have been avoided, of course, had Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley not dragged their feet on Rafa talks.
With the transfer window now open, many clubs rightly want to get much of their major business done early in the summer. But as usual, Newcastle seem happy to let time, and opportunities, slip by, while adopting an ‘it will all work out in the end’ attitude.
If there is one word that sums up Ashley and Charnley’s tenure at the club, it is dithering. They constantly crawl to deals for players, and it seems their managerial negotiations are no different.
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Ashley should trust Benitez’s judgement
Benitez wants to build a squad with a mixture of youth and experience. Ashley may not want that, but he needs to have faith and trust his manager’s decisions on recruitment.
Rafa knows little about high street shops, and as such, does not tell Ashley how to buy department stores. So why does the billionaire feel the need to tell a world-class manager how to build a successful football club?
If Newcastle miss out on Rondon because of their nonsensical approach to talks on keeping a manager that should be a no-brainer, it will be a very bitter pill for both Rafa and the fans to swallow.
For the sake of the club, the nit-picking and brinkmanship has to end. A deal with Benitez must be sorted now.