Newcastle United defender Chancel Mbemba is desperate to seal an exit to another top division after crunch talks between the club and his agent ended with him being told he needs to find a new club, according to the Chronicle.
The Newcastle based newspaper report that the 23-year-old is set for the exit door at St James’ Park and despite interest in his capture from former side Anderlecht, he is keen to prove himself on a bigger stage, Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim, who will be playing Champions League football next season, also said to be in the hunt.
Mbemba has fallen firmly out of favour under Rafael Benitez with just 11 appearances across all competitions last season, seven of those coming as starts in the Premier League, and were the enforcer to stay at St James’ Park it is claimed the lack of regular action would remain the same.
Opinion
Benitez knows that to build up some transfer funds ahead of the summer window that he will have to try offloading all of the deadwood and some of the fringe figures, with Mike Ashley’s grip on the purse strings as tight as they ever have been. The likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Jack Colback and Henri Saivet all seem destined for the exit and after his lack of playing time, it will come as no surprise to find that Mbemba will also be heading out. At 23, he really does deserve to be playing regular football and while some might want to challenge Benitez and prove him wrong, moving on is best for his career. As for where he ends up, that may well be taken out of his hands, for Newcastle will likely be accepting the offer which pays them the most, rather than where the player himself wants to go, and that would be a final kick in the teeth from the Magpies.