This could be Newcastle’s best summer in years

Newcastle United still have plenty of questions to answer, but the team could have a great summer if Rafa Benitez agrees to stay.

Some of you might think I am crazy for thinking that Newcastle United could be on track for having their best summer in years, but the Magpies can improve significantly if Rafa Benitez stays. Two months ago, I was worried that Benitez would pack his things and walk out upon the conclusion of his contract at the end of June.

In the last month, though, the situation has become more clear and the odds of Benitez staying on Tyneside are high. This probability is also validated by the fact that the Spaniard has turned down offers from AS Roma and Marseille. It remains to be seen when the club and Benitez will come to an agreement, but since the lawyers of both parties are now involved one can assume that an announcement will come soon.

That being said, Benitez is the key to Newcastle United having their best summer in years. The reason why is because meaningful players on the roster and external transfer targets are waiting to see what Benitez decides to do before they make their own decisions. It is very rare to see one manager have such a far-reaching impact, but the Spaniard holds the fate of multiple players in his hands, too, whether he likes it or not.

Linked With Top Players

Over the last few transfer windows, the Magpies were mainly linked with mediocre players and the club gained a reputation for being Loancastle United. The club finally broke their transfer record in January when they brought in Miguel Almiron for £21M and that trend is expected to carry over in the summer.

The Toon have annoyingly been linked with several players over the last few weeks, but the club is finally looking at the right types of players. The top two names linked with Newcastle United thus far have been Wesley Moraes and Juan Mata. Both players would elevate the status of the club in the Premier League and a top ten finish would be expected if both players were signed.

Takeover Rumor…

I will not get carried away with the latest rumor coming from the Sun in this section. This report claims that Mike Ashley has agreed to sell the club to Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan, who is related to Manchester City’s owner, for £350M. Moreover, the report also claims that the paperwork has been submitted to the league.

IF, and it is a big IF, this news is accurate then we should all be very excited about the damage Newcastle United can do in the transfer window this summer. Until more concrete news comes out, though, we will continue to brush this off as a rumor until the club comes out with a statement. At least it gives us something to hope for, right?