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Opinion

25 man Newcastle United squad – Those Rafa did and didn’t want and those he is left with

7 years ago
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After the summer transfer window at last closed, the 25 man Newcastle United squad was announced.

Only these players plus those who qualify as ‘Under 21’ (Woodman and Merino), can play for NUFC until January and the next transfer window.

So what was Rafa Benitez left with?

Much was made of the friction between Rafa and our glorious leader/owner but who was he pleased to have onboard and who was he stuck with?

Below, I have given my view on the players he was left with who were wanted or unwanted, as well as the ones he wasn’t that upset to be stuck with – or who he simply expected no better than, in this summer window.

Goalkeepers: 

Wanted: Freddie Woodman

Stuck with him/no expectation of better in summer window: Rob Elliot

Unwanted: Karl Darlow

Defenders

Wanted: Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett, Jamaal Lascelles, Florian Lejeune, DeAndre Yedlin

Stuck with him/no expectation of better in summer window: Javier Manquillo, Chancel Mbemba, Jamie Sterry,

Unwanted: Jesus Gamez, Massadio Haidara,

Midfielders

Wanted: Rolando Aarons, Isaac Hayden, Jacob Murphy, Jonjo Shelvey, Matt Ritchie, Christian Atsu, Mikel Merino

Stuck with him/no expectation of better in summer window: Mohamed Diame, Ayoze Perez

Unwanted: Jack Colback, Henri Saivet

Strikers

Wanted: Dwight Gayle

Stuck with him/no expectation of better in summer window: Joselu

Unwanted: Aleksandar Mitrovic

So in summary:

Wanted: Gayle, Aarons, Hayden, Murphy, Shelvey, Ritchie, Atsu, Merino, Clark, Dummett, Lascelles, Lejeune, Yedlin, Woodman

Stuck with: Joselu, Diame, Perez, Manquillo, Mbemba, Sterry, Elliot

Unwanted: Mitrovic, Colback, Saivet, Gamez, Haidara, Darlow

That makes it 14 wanted players, seven who can do a job (stuck with) and six who Rafa was desperately trying to get rid of.

How this equates to a successful season remains to be seen but Rafa Benitez will be needing to call on players who he had hoped would be long gone by now.

Let’s see who can redeem themselves this season.

(All contributions from Newcastle fans welcome, send articles (as well as ideas/suggestions) to contribute@themag.co.uk)

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