Lots of Newcastle United fans have been left regretting the failures of last summer after DL Pro striker Salomon Rondon claimed he misses St. James’ Park.
The Venezuelan excelled during his year on loan at St. James’ Park, but did not see his temporary deal turned permanent before joining Rafa Benitez in the Chinese Super League.
Rondon would love to one-day re-join Newcastle, though, as his love for the club is still strong.
“If Newcastle had offered me a deal, if they’d said ‘Do you want to stay here?’ then of course I would have stayed,” Rondon told The Athletic. “To be honest, last season was the best I’ve ever had.
“Not just because I scored goals, but because everything around me was so right, from the school of my children, to the city, the people, my family being happy. I was working really hard in every training session to be in the team and I did everything properly for that. I was playing. Everything was perfect.
“[What do I miss the most?] St. James’ Park. If I could turn back time, I would do it 100 per cent, I would be there.”
Would you like to see Rondon back at St. James'?
Yes
No
Rondon spent the 2018/19 season on loan at the club from West Bromwich Albion and earned cult hero status on Tyneside, with 11 goals in 32 Premier League games.
The Venezuelan would also end the term being named as the first forward since Alan Shearer in 2002/03 to win the Magpies’ Player of the Year award, having had a hand in 47 per cent of all goals scored under Benitez in the top-flight.
Yet despite his efforts in Black and White, owner Mike Ashley refused to trigger the striker’s £16.5million release clause and allowed Rondon to leave the North East.
Ashley was loath to pay a large sum for a striker who turned 30 last September and was entering the final year of his West Brom contract, feeling that Rondon would have little resale value in the years to come.
Rondon was keen to stay at St. James’ Park last summer, but Ashley’s hesitancy to strike a deal eventually saw the forward join Benitez in China and sign a £150,000-per-week contract.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Rondon’s comments by offering their rue at last summer’s mistakes and eagerness to see the 30-year-old back at St. James’ Park…
Bring him home ❤️ https://t.co/GnmxlG8Qjc
— Andy Gurr (@andy_gurr) February 20, 2020
Brilliant interview. #nufc miss him so much. ASM would have thrived playing with the big man.
— Richard Alexander (@mcintosh1983) February 20, 2020
Never should of let him go https://t.co/O9FgLwDWZw
— Caroline Horner (@CazHorner79) February 20, 2020
Real Madrid paid £83m for Hazard last summer and he’s now 29. NUFC wouldn’t pay £16.5m for Rondon and he’s 30. Says everything about how our club is run. Absolutely no forethought apart from how much the owner can make. Disgusting. No wonder thousands have walked away.
— Kingstonbob01 (@kingstonbob01) February 20, 2020
I miss rondon dancing in the snow https://t.co/yfNsQnGIzd
— Lewis (@_lewisnufc_) February 20, 2020
Great piece, George. He’s exactly the kind of character you’d want to keep at a football club.
— Dean Burns (@deanoburns) February 20, 2020
IM NOT CRYING https://t.co/ViGyAIUwsu
— Kev Temp. (@kevin_temperley) February 20, 2020
God we miss him up front as well. Seems a nice a guy.
— Keith Brown (@KeithBrown999) February 20, 2020
Criminal from Charnley to not have paid the money for this lad…#NUFC https://t.co/0HRtkP8Ja4
— Matt (@toonelmatador) February 20, 2020
Could have had him for more than half less than Joelinton.
#nufc. World class fans, OK team, Utterly ridiculous people running it. https://t.co/boGzku9eaB
— ToonFan (@ToonFan14) February 20, 2020
In other Newcastle United news, the club are scouting a prolific 24-year-old subject to a potential €6m summer move.