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Rafa Benitez points out ‘small’ difference in how Mike Ashley and Farhad Moshiri run their clubs

3 years ago
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Rafa Benitez now seems settled in his new job.

Still early days but the Spaniard sits only a point off the top of the Premier League after four wins, a draw and just the one defeat in the Premier League.

Those results, at least for the time being, having apparently silenced the laughable Richard Keys and other poisonous critics, as well as those revolting locals determined to keep Rafa Benitez away from their club.

Also confounding the critics, is that he has put together a run of results despite such minimal spending in the transfer market.

Demarai Gray costing less than £2m, then  Andros Townsend, Asmir Begovic, Andy Lonergan and Salomon Rondon all on frees.

Despite that minimal summer spend, Rafa Benitez has been extolling the virtues of Farhad Moshiri and comparing him to the nightmare he experienced under Mike Ashley.

Rafa saying about how Moshiri ‘wants to spend money’ and the Everton boss looking forward to that, the lack of spending in that initial 2021 summer window mainly due to financial fair play, with the fortunes Moshiri has previously spent (wasted?) on the blue scousers’ squad meaning no initial Rafa Benitez splurge.

As well as Farhad Moshiri’s ongoing willingness to invest in his own club (business / asset!), Everton will be helped in the January window due to James Rodriguez heading off to Al-Rayyan for £7m and the saving of £10m per year on his wages.

Rafa Benitez comparing the Everton situation to the years on Tyneside: ‘After my last experience in the Premier League [at Newcastle United], not spending any money [due to Mike Ashley], it is great to have owners with this spirit.’

Benitez actually made a small profit on transfers in and out during his three years and three months at St James Park, with absolutely zero net spend.

A bit of a contrast with what Mike Ashley has done since he forced Rafa Benitez out of Newcastle, Ashley having allowed a net spend of around £125m during Steve Bruce’s 26 months, with the owner recently releasing that ridiculous statement where he stated that £160m in total has been committed on players since Bruce walked through the door.

However, in the totally chaotic / clueless way Ashley does things, he then decided that after a deal was done to buy Joe Willock by instalments over a number of years, not a single free transfer or loan signing was allowed this summer.

In the entire 14+ years after buying the club, Mike Ashley has only put any of his own money in (and later taken it back out) after he has relegated Newcastle on the two occasions (so far). If United are in a similar disastrous state to what they are currently in, interesting to see whether Ashley will be willing to put in any of his own money (into his own business / asset) into the club BEFORE a potential third relegation, rather than waiting to see first if that third relegation does indeed come to pass.

Rafa Benitez looking forward to the 2022 January transfer window:

“We have an owner [Farhad Moshiri] that wants to spend money.

“After my last experience in the Premier League [at Newcastle United], not spending any money [due to Mike Ashley], it is great to have owners with this spirit.

“Now it is important that when the new transfer window arrives, we are ready.

“We know what we need.

“We have to bring the balance between top class players and the players that want to be here.

“They want to be here in the winter, when it is snowing and when it is cold, not just during the summer.

“Players who really have the passion and desire to fight for us.

“But they also need the quality to make a difference. It has to be players who will perform. Not just bringing in names.

“There are not too many players, especially in the January transfer window, that will be available and keen to come, if they are playing in the Champions League.

“We know the difficulties and it is not easy, we have to start working on that now.

“January is complicated but maybe you bring in young players with the desire to improve. Maybe players who are not playing [at their current clubs] who have experience and are good professionals.”

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