The Telegraph claims that Rafa Benitez has issued an ultimatum to stingy Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley: Buy me two players, or I’m done after the season.
The celebrated manager has had success with Newcastle despite its failure to spend on players since promotion back to the Premier League.
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It’s believed that one of the players is Atlanta United’s Miguel Almiron, with the Premier League outfit and MLS club far apart on their valuation of the player.
A move for Almiron would break Newcastle’s transfer record, which has stood since the 2005 purchase of Michael Owen.
According to Football365.com, 15 PL teams have broken their transfer records more than five times since Newcastle set its milestone.
Newcastle’s transfer record is just over $20 million, a figure that was spent more than two dozen times this summer alone.
If Newcastle fails to sign Benitez to a new deal, it’s difficult to imagine them finding a manager anywhere near his level to take over the squad. And given the value of players on its pitch, the club would almost certainly continue its recent pattern of being annual relegation fodder.
That is if the penny-pinching doesn’t again doom Newcastle to the Championship.