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Opinion

No ambiguity now as both Rafa Benitez and Salomon Rondon have told Mike Ashley what they want

5 years ago
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Rafa Benitez and Salomon Rondon, as well as the rest of the squad, are enjoying a few days off.

The Friday night scheduling and win, allowing a more relaxing weekend of rest and recuperation, before back at the training ground this coming  week to prepare for Southampton on Saturday.

Another televised match as Newcastle’s manager and players look to match or hopefully improve last season’s points total, if not league placing.

With only four weeks to go until the final game of the season, Newcastle fans are desperate for news regarding the futures of both Rafa Benitez and Salomon Rondon.

Every day/week brings ‘updates’/speculation as to what is/isn’t going to happen with Newcastle’s manager and most influential player.

Rondon is shielded from most of the media but Rafa Benitez is quizzed at every pre and post-match press conference.

The Newcastle boss giving a few words each time that tell us little/nothing but that doesn’t stop the journalists from dissecting every word, trying to make out that it is some new revelation.

However, the truth is that we don’t need to wonder about the positions of either Rafa Bentez or Salomon Rondon, as to where they stand about staying at Newcastle United.

Both of them have previously made perfectly clear that they very much want to extend their stays and indeed have stated without any ambiguity, what the obstacle is.

The NUFC manager and striker both stating (see below) that they are waiting on an answer from Mike Ashley/Newcastle United, having informed them what they want to convince them to stay.

Salomon Rondon revealing: They [Newcastle United/ Mike Ashley] know what I want and what my family want. I have spoken with them and made it clear. If there is an opportunity for me to be here, I will stay here 100%. If not I will say thank you to everybody and see what happens next.’

Whilst Rafa Benitez revealed the same: ‘The only club I am talking about now, about my future, is Newcastle United Football Club and I am waiting for an answer. I am waiting for an answer, so we have been talking, and I am waiting for an answer.’ The clear implication from the manager being that he is waiting to see whether Mike Ashley agrees to his plan to take Newcastle United forward and if that doesn’t happen, he will then walk away and take up one of the numerous offers that would come his way from other clubs.

None of this will stop the media or indeed fans speculating that things are ongoing but in reality, everything is now simply down to Mike Ashley.

He knows what both Benitez and Rondon want, simply a case of yes or no.

The Mag – 4 March 2019:

Salomon Rondon talking to the Chronicle:

“They [Newcastle United/ Mike Ashley] know what I want and what my family want.

“I have spoken with them and made it clear.

“If there is an opportunity for me to be here, I will stay here 100%.

“If not I will say thank you to everybody and see what happens next.

“It’s a pleasure to be here and my family are settled and happy to be here, I play with the number nine on my back and it is a pleasure for me.

“I am still on loan but if I get to stay here then I’ll be at a beautiful place.

“If not I will say thank you and wish you all luck for the future.

“I love being here…being here is great for me, I am settled here.

“I will be trying to score more goals and then we will see what happens in the future, I’m only on loan so you never know what happens.

“If I could stay many years here I’d love to, I love wearing the number nine and scoring goals for the team.”

The Mag – 5 April 2019:

Rafa Benitez quizzed on Friday by media at pre-Palace press conference:

Journalist:

“According to reports this morning, you name has been mentioned (in a L’Equipe ‘exclusive’ claiming Rafa had engaged an agency to find him a Ligue 1 management job) in France…”

Rafa Benitez:

“…just in France? (smiles and media laugh)”

Journalist:

Is there any truth in that?’

Rafa Benitez:

“No, I read the story. The 6th March (when L’Equipe claimed he had a meeting in Manchester with the agency) I was here training and lunch, then I left seven or eight in the evening.

“The only club I am talking about now, about my future, is Newcastle United Football Club and I am waiting for an answer.”

Journalist:

“So you have held talks?”

Rafa Benitez:

“I am waiting for an answer.”

Journalist:

“What are you waiting for an answer on?”

Rafa Benitez:

“No, I am waiting for an answer, so we have been talking, and I am waiting for an answer.”

Journalist:

“When will you expect that answer?”

Rafa Benitez:

“I don’t know….(laughs).

“I don’t know, honestly.”

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