OPINION
Despite having secured a mightily impressive top-ten finish in the Premier League last season, hopes are not particularly high among the fans of Newcastle United this summer.
The Magpies have only secured two new signings since the transfer window opened, one of which was Martin Dubravka turning his loan move permanent and the other was Ki Sung Yeung arriving on a free f from Swansea City – neither likely to get pulses racing on Tyneside.
Instead, there seems to be more concern over who might be leaving St James’ Park, with some deadwood almost certainly set for the exit door as well as a couple of senior stars to help boost funds for Rafael Benitez.
One man who the Toon Army will be desperate to keep is Jamaal Lascelles, 24, who was said to be the subject of an initial £20million bid by West Ham, with the eventual deal worth as much as £25million after bonuses and clauses, according to the Daily Mail.
Luckily for Newcastle fans, the bid was reportedly turned down by Benitez and Lee Charnley, and with the defensive powerhouse reportedly happy to stay at the club under the Spanish boss, all seems good for now.
However, with just a year left on the former Liverpool manager’s contract, his own future at the club is not certain, and with a contract extension not yet penned, doubts could start to build in Lascelles’ mind.
Having missed out on an England call up for the World Cup, he could well feel as though Benitez’s future is crucial to his own, and without the promise of the Spaniard staying, he may end up demanding an exit from St James’ Park this summer.
The lure of more money and more exposure for Gareth Southgate and the England staff could be too much to resist, and without Benitez, who took him under his wing and made him the talent he is today, at Newcastle, there is no reason to stick around.
It is a big issue for the Magpies, and one which could lead to more than just the exit of the boss.