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Rafa Benitez says when certain players leave there will be a ‘more focused atmosphere’

8 years ago
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Talking before the third match of the season, Rafa Benitez has stated that once he makes the signings he wants and certain current players leave, it ‘will create an atmosphere more focused and concentrated just on the competition (Championship)’.

The Newcastle boss clearly seeing the current situation of having players desperate to leave, such as Moussa Sissoko, as disruptive influences on his current match preparations.

Rafa says that they simply have to deal with situation but has indicated there could be light at the end of the tunnel, stating ‘we have some clubs asking about Sissoko’.

Reports from France this morning claimed that both Everton and Inter Milan are scheduled to have talks with Sissoko’s agent in Paris this week, having already had preliminary discussions.

No doubt like me you are a long way past been sick of hearing his name mentioned – not exactly helping on top of these two defeats and displays so far.

Moussa Sissoko isn’t involved tomorrow night, I know that we say ‘In Rafa we trust’ but you’d have to be VERY trusting to believe Rafa when he says he is leaving him out because of a ‘knock to the ankle’.

Rafa Benitez:

“We know what we need, we knew what we needed, and now is just a confirmation that we need that.

“The question is whether you can get the players that you want, so I said in another press conference – that when the Premier League clubs have more money it is more difficult, the price of the players.

“It is not realistic (player valuations) but it is what you have, so we have to be sure that we sign the players that we need. It is not important the name(s) now, it is just we are sure they can do the job.

“And at the end of the transfer window the team will be stronger because you will have players in the positions you already need now and players leaving that will create an atmosphere more focused and concentrated just on the competition (Championship).”

‘What is the position with club’s move for Brendan Galloway?’

“We don’t discuss in the press conference our movements. We have some work behind the scenes in terms of players coming in and leaving, we have to wait.”

‘Moussa Sissoko – is it becoming quite frustrating because you don’t know where you stand?’

“No, we know every transfer window is like this. We have experience and we know these things can happen.

“The main thing is while the transfer window is still open (after the season starts), something that someone has to realise is not right, but we need to deal with the situation.

“It is not perfect but we have some clubs asking about Sissoko, some clubs asking about some (other) players, and we are talking about different players – so we need to wait a little bit.

“It is 15 days and after, everything will be settled down and it will be easier for us.”

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