Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez has confirmed that he has held talks with the club’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson as he makes plans for the January transfer window.
The Magpies are yet to win a game across all competitions this season, drawing one and losing five after a tough summer transfer window in which Benitez struggled to improve the squad.
However the United boss has announced that he is already planning to sign players in January, provided he has the cash, after talks with Nickson earlier today (Friday).
“I was talking with the head of recruitment this morning. We have an idea for the next window, & now we just need to see if we have any money. Always we have to be optimistic, but also realistic,” he said, as quoted by Newcastle Chronicle journalist Chris Waugh via his personal Twitter account on Friday.
Rafa on transfer strategy: "I was talking with the head of recruitment this morning. We have an idea for the next window, & now we just need to see if we have any money. Always we have to be optimistic, but also realistic" #nufc
— Chris Waugh (@ChrisDHWaugh) September 21, 2018
OPINION
January is going to be massive for Newcastle and the fact that they are looking ahead to the next transfer window already just goes to show how poor the club has done so far this season. The Magpies have had a tough run of fixtures. Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal are all teams that are expected to beat the Tyneisde club, however the draw with Cardiff and Carabao Cup loss to Nottingham Forest were not good enough and prove that this team is struggling. Newcastle face Crystal Palace this weekend and will want to get their first win on the board as soon as possible, because everyone will start to worry if Benitez will even want to stick around until January if he is not backed by Mike Ashley. Sadly, the Magpies owner does not look the slightest bit interested in investing in the squad, with his purchase of House of Fraser last month just going to show where his priorities lie.