Now that Newcastle’s immediate return back to the Premier League has been confirmed, it’ll be a busy summer on Tyneside. Sensational news (good or bad) is never far away and more will be our way before the start of the transfer window over the next few months.
Here we look at two things Premier League rivals should expect to come out of the Magpies’ during the close of the season:
Rumours Of Benitez’ Departure
Different tabloids from different countries various reports cannot leave Newcastle alone in all honesty.
Any claims about the former Real Madrid’s boss future are far from the truth. Benitez was allowed to commute between his longtime home with Liverpool and his working base in Newcastle by Lee Charnley and the board. He chose to stay at Newcastle following a conversation with his daughter who had walked past the Newcastle away following singing passionately about him at Anfield last season, convincing him that he could “not leave these people”.
Rafa and his backroom staff took a tour around Newcastle, Northumberland, and Durham a few months ago to familiarise themselves more with the surrounding area and with the people who support the club. He declared that he wanted to achieve success similar to that he did at Liverpool, where he won the Champions League.
He is clearly happy where he is as long as the board back his ambitions in the transfer market and there is little chance of him going anywhere else in England just now. This will not stop those with a negative agenda and rumours will no doubt circulate until Newcastle make some big signings.
Surprising Signings
For now, the days of breaking the world transfer record as they did, to bring in Alan Shearer in the 90’s, or signing Michael Owen and almost landing Wayne Rooney may have gone. However, if people are expecting bottom-half Premier League nobodies and another bunch of anonymous players from France to come in, they may be surprised.
Newcastle is consistently listed as one of the best cities in Europe and a ‘hidden gem’ for those travelling to the place for the first time. So getting good players to the area, playing in front of 52,000 fans and working for one of the very best coaches on the planet will not be too much of a challenge. Expect a couple of big names to arrive before September.