It’s been a tough spell for Rafael Benitez. Between a lack of certainty off the field and a lack of form on it, it’s certainly not been a particularly good season for the Magpies.
However, things looked to be turning around when Atlanta United man Manuel Amiron was linked with the club last year. The attacking midfielder possesses bags of ability with the ball at his feet, and he could have brought some real flair to St James’ Park.
The prospect of him joining the club now, though, is beginning to look like a bit of a pipedream. According to the Chronicle Live, Newcastle may well have been priced out of a move for the player, with Almiron reportedly demanding a whopping £100,000-per-week to move to the club.
Obviously, especially for Mike Ashley, this is a figure to be baulked at, and that’s exactly what Newcastle have done.
Does this mean the deal is dead? Not yet, but it certainly doesn’t seem as though an imminent resolution is imminent, and either way, Almiron is going to have to drop his demands to have any chance of moving to the club.
This is the last thing that Rafael Benitez needed. With all the trouble on the field at present, the January window could have been our saving grace, allowing us to upgrade and finally gain a foothold in the Premier League. Instead, though, it looks like we’re just set for more transfer frustration.
Thoughts?