Henri Saivet is expected to seal a season-long loan to Bursaspor imminently. It would be the Senegalese international’s third loan spell since joining the club in 2016.
Yet, the 27-year-old still has three years to go on his contract at St James’ Park with no indication that he is closer to leaving on a permanent deal.
Fans on Twitter can’t believe the club gave Saivet such a lengthy contract:
We gave him a 5yr deal? Mental.
— shaun johnston (@shauni46) 15 August 2018
Total outrage this. What a waste of oxygen… I mean money…
— BlueMagpie (@BlueMagpie9) 15 August 2018
Just a year before Pardews ends ????????
— Tampers (@Tampers86) 15 August 2018
Funny how the board trusted Carr with signings despite the number of disasters but won't give the same to Rafa.
— LJ & Nick (@OneWingedAnge7) 15 August 2018
just copy and paste this tweet every year, until 2021.
— Tommy Strong (@strong_te) 15 August 2018
Some feel that the midfielder just hasn’t been given a chance to impress at the club:
I dont actually think hes that bad a player? Just never given a chance. Do you think he is due a bonus if he plays x amount of games or something? Thought he did well against West Ham last season apart from his error, probably due to lack of match practice?
— Callum Vass (@CallumVass) 15 August 2018
tbf he never really got a chance for us
— Adrian (@Adrian____29) 15 August 2018
Saivet is obviously not part of Rafa Benitez’s first team plans, but offloading the player on another loan deal doesn’t make that much sense on the face of it, unless it prompts Bursaspor into signing the Senegalese next summer.
You can see the same situation arising next year where the player is again allowed to depart on a temporary basis. Perhaps, it would have been best just keeping him as an option in the squad if we can’t find him a permanent home?