Newcastle United transfers: Georginio Wijnaldum tells agent to find him a new club05:30, 16 JUN 2016
BY CHRIS WAUGH
Georginio Wijnaldum scored 11 goals for Newcastle United last season but he does not fancy spending a season in the Championship
Newcastle United midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has told his agent to find him another club this summer following the Magpies’ relegation.
The 25-year-old is attracting interest from Italy and, though he has not handed in an official transfer request, he has directed his representative to secure him a move away from St James’ Park. But, just as is the case with fellow wantaway midfielder Moussa Sissoko,
the final decision over Wijnaldum’s future will lie firmly in the hands of United boss Rafa Benitez.
The Spaniard is under no obligation to sell any of his players and he will only allow the Dutchman to depart if it is in the best interests of the team, or if he has a replacement lined up already. Wijnaldum had a hit-and-miss first season in English football, scoring an impressive 11 goals - but none of those came away from home, while his form tailed off during the second half of the campaign.
And the Dutch international, who swapped lifting the Eredivisie title with PSV Eindhoven for a relegation battle with the Magpies, is now looking to end his Newcastle spell after just a season.
Italian clubs Roma and Napoli are both interested in Wijnaldum, with the former believed to be readying themselves to make a formal offer.
Roma - who Wijnaldum’s agent Humphrey Nijman described as “a great club” and “one of the best in Europe” last month - have just sold Miralem Pjanic to Juventus for £25million, and they have identified Wijnaldum as their preferred replacement for the Bosnian.
However, Newcastle will not be pushed into any deal and will only sanction a sale on their own terms - and once their own valuation of the midfielder is met.
United paid £14.5m to sign Wijnaldum from PSV last summer, and they would likely be looking for a price in excess of £20m for the Dutchman.
Though Benitez is keen to retain the majority of his squad, the 56-year-old acknowledges that some departures will be inevitable.
But, in order to ensure he can still build a squad which is more than capable of achieving
promotion
back to the Premier League at the first attempt, both Benitez and the club will drive a hard bargain and only sanction a sale on their own terms.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-transfers-georginio-wijnaldum-11478949 [ 此帖被羅力亞在2016-07-23 04:05重新編輯 ]
