OPINION
Rafa Benitez has one of the hardest jobs among Premier League managers in the transfer market, with the Newcastle boss having to contend with a less-than-helpful club hierarchy.
Owner Mike Ashley is notoriously tight on money, with the club having essentially turned a profit in the summer window, while the Magpies have also failed to break their transfer record since 2005.
Benitez’s results on the pitch are made all the more remarkable by the conditions under which he works, with his movements in the market limited hugely by the club’s financial stance.
The Spaniard is regularly forced into the free transfer and loan markets, meaning the quality of player he can bring in is usually below the ideal standard.
However, there does occasionally arise an opportunity to sign a player of serious quality for a low or non-existent fee, and such a chance is about to be available for the Magpies.
As reported by O Jogo, Porto winger Yacine Brahimi is set to leave the club for free in the summer at the end of his contract, and Newcastle are named as one of three Premier League sides on his tail.
Brahimi is a 45-cap Algeria international with vast experience in Ligue 1, La Liga, and the Champions League, and he will have plenty of other clubs chasing him on a free deal.
Newcastle however must pull out all the stops to make sure they are at the front of the queue to sign the 28-year-old in the summer, with Benitez known to be on the lookout for a winger.
Brahimi’s versatility is also a big asset, with the Algerian able to play on both wings and through the middle, meaning Newcastle could be killing two birds with one stone by signing him.
Importantly, this is a transfer which will please Ashley and club bosses, who will be licking their lips at the prospect of signing such a quality player for free.
All in all this is an absolute no-brainer for the Magpies, and they must barge their way to the front of the queue in January, when Brahimi can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club.