Monday June 24th 2019 won’t be remembered as the greatest of days by Newcastle United fans, as the Premier League club announced Rafa Benitez would be leaving the club when his contract runs out on June 30th.
The Spaniard was one of the shining lights in what has been a difficult period under Mike Ashley’s ownership, and his departure has left a lot of doom and gloom on Tyneside.
One of the big questions now will be how badly Benitez’s departure will affect the club’s transfer plans going forward as Nice-Matin reported on Monday morning (before the bad news) that Allan Saint-Maximin ‘wasn’t far off’ agreeing personal terms with the Magpies ahead of a potential move to St James’ Park.
With names such as Gennaro Gattuso, Garry Monk and Mikel Arteta being thrown around by betting companies as the potential next man in charge, it could be summer plans are scrapped entirely depending on the approach Benitez’s successor wants to take.
Certainly one to keep an eye on in the next couple of days.
