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Five players who could leave Newcastle United in the summer

By Declan Ryan

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - JANUARY 31: Newcastle player Joselu reacts after missing a penalty during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Burnley at St. James Park on January 31, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - JANUARY 31: Newcastle player Joselu reacts after missing a penalty during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Burnley at St. James Park on January 31, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 28: Javier Manquillo of Newcastle United during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Chelsea and Newcastle United on January 28, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 28: Javier Manquillo of Newcastle United during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Chelsea and Newcastle United on January 28, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

Javier Manquillo

It’s not coincidence that the new contract for Paul Dummett has coincided with the disappearance of Javier Manquillo from the Newcastle first team. The 23-year-old Spanish full-back spent last year playing for the eventually relegated Sunderland, before joining the Toon permanently for an undisclosed fee at the beginning of this season.

There is value to having a plug-and-play full-back such as Manquillo who can slot in on both the left and the right side, but truthfully he has shown little quality to merit a first-team place. Rafa Benitez presumably hoped to coach his fellow Spaniard into a capable squad player, but Manquillo’s 19 appearances in the Premier League this season might be all that Benitez needed to see.

Neither defensively solid or a huge attacking threat, there would be little surprise amongst the Toon Army if Manquillo is gone next summer.

Rob Elliot

Having made 16 Premier League appearances between the sticks for Newcastle United this season, at first glance it would seem odd to expect Rob Elliot to leave this summer. Joining Newcastle in 2011, Elliot has in fact only managed 55 total appearances for the Toon, and injury has not struck at a favourable time for the 31-year-old.

With January loanee Martin Dubravka having already looked to solidify the number one position for the rest of the season, it seems unlikely that Benitez would let Karl Darlow leave Tyneside as the 27-year-old has managed 50 appearance since joining in 2014, and shown flashes of being a good shot-stopper in the Premier League.

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Benitez, when asked about the Dubravka signing, stressed the importance of competition at the goalkeeper position, and therefore with Darlow already having outperformed Elliot this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the latter on his way out of the North East come summer.