Newcastle United

Rafael Benitez: 'Newcastle United must sell players to make new signings'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 18 August 2017

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez says that he must sell some of his current players if the club are to make further signings before the transfer deadline.

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has admitted that he must move players on if the club are to make further signings before the transfer deadline.

Earlier this week, Joselu became the sixth new arrival on Tyneside this summer, but the difference in opinions between Benitez and owner Mike Ashley has been well documented over the last few weeks.

After the Magpies earned promotion to the Premier League from the Championship last season, Ashley claimed that Benitez would have funds to recruit the players that he wants.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports News, however, the Sports Direct businessman acknowledged that he cannot compete financially with some of England's elite, including Manchester City.

Speaking at his press conference before the weekend's trip to Huddersfield Town, the Spaniard said: "Obviously we have a lot of players we have to move out if we want to move [players] in. It depends on how many we can move in one direction.

"We have to wait and see if this work behind the scenes is good. If we can move players out it will be easier to bring players in. My focus now is to win on Sunday, to get three points and little by little to see where we are."

Newcastle fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in their first game of the new season, with Paul Dummett and Florian Lejeune suffering injuries in the process.