Isaac Hayden has handed in a transfer request as he looks to move closer to his family. Rafa is believed to be reluctant to lose him but he understands the difficult situation that the midfielder is in.
The 23-year-old had to visit his daughter in hospital regularly in December and January when she was born, and it seems that has played a role in the player’s decision to move back down south.
Brighton & Hove Albion are said to be the early frontrunners and the Chronicle is reporting that they could offer up to £10m. Hayden was signed for just £1m from Arsenal in the summer of 2016, and it could mean a sizeable £9m profit.
It would be a great piece of business if we do sell the holding midfielder for such an amount, especially considering he wasn’t first choice for a large part of last season.
Combined with the reported €12m (£10.6m) from the sale of Mikel Merino to Real Sociedad, and that would certainly give the manager some much-needed flexibility in the transfer market.
Some of that money will have to go Hayden’s replacement of course, and the major worry will be whether Mike Ashley gives him all the money from these transfers.
It’s been a painfully slow summer so far, and no doubt Benitez is just as frustrated as us in terms of how things have gone. The lack of concrete transfer bids has been a major concern, but I am holding out some hope for a late flurry of activity before the window closes, especially if Aleksandar Mitrovic’s move to Fulham is finalised.
I’m not holding my breath considering how poorly the club have gone about recruiting Rafa’s targets. If we did only miss out to Gladbach by £2m for Alassane Plea, it certainly wouldn’t surprise me. Still, let’s see if things can turn around in the next few weeks.