Rafa Benitez has confirmed that Newcastle United goalkeeper Rob Elliot has been made available for a move away from St James’ Park in the January transfer window.
Elliot, 32, has not made a single appearance for the Magpies this season, with the closest he has come to being on the pitch being when he was named as a substitute for the Carabao Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest in August.
And now it seems that the 6ft 3 (transfermarkt) goalkeeper has been placed on the transfer list for suitors to come in and buy him next month.
“We are not really interested in selling anyone,” said Benitez, as quoted by the Chronicle on Friday.
“The only one (goalkeeper) that is available in the window is Rob Elliot.”
OPINION
It is no great shock that Elliot could be on his way out of St James’ Park in January. The 32-year-old is way down the pecking order on Tyneside and with the finances under the tight grip of Mike Ashley, every penny that can be saved has to be accounted for. Elliot is not a terrible goalkeeper but he is not a Premier League goalkeeper. Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow would have to underperform by a drastic amount for Elliot to even get on the bench, never mind a spot in Benitez’s starting line-up. There are sure to be a couple of Championship clubs in need of a new shot-stopper for the second-half of the season. Even if the Republic of Ireland international is just going to be a second-choice, he is likely to take it. Benitez probably won’t get a lot of money for Elliot, but his contract expires at the end of next season, so keeping him on the books could be a bad move.