OPINION
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has not exactly got the most options to choose from on Tyneside but even so there are some senior players who simply do not look like having a future at St James’ Park.
With January around the corner, it looks as though Mike Ashley will still be in charge, with no miraculous takeover coming to save the Toon Army from their misery, and that means the Spanish boss is likely to have to scrape by with bargain signings, using a measly transfer kitty which will only be boosted by sales of his own.
As such, anyone not fully pulling their weight – or simply acting as deadwood among the senior side – ought to be offloaded and that is surely what Benitez is planning for the new year, with Rob Elliot, Isaac Hayden and Achraf Lazaar destined to depart.
For the shot stopper, he has been unfortunate enough to see Martin Dubravka come in and take the number one spot, while Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman are also battling it out for the understudy role.
There is no future for him at Newcastle and to be quite frank Benitez does not need four goalkeepers, so it is an easy way to cash in and strengthen elsewhere.
As for Lazaar, his days have looked numbered for a while and it is a shock he remains at St James’ Park, so a move over the winter is best for all parties involved, having failed to feature even once this season.
Hayden meanwhile looked destined to leave over the summer after submitting a transfer request due to personal reasons, and while he has remained for the first half of the season Benitez is not likely to hold him against his will.
None of the three should have too much trouble finding suitors for their signings and as such it seems a certainty Benitez will be green lighting their sales – hopefully to see them replaced by new arrivals.