Rafa Benitez Set to Enter Crunch Talks With Newcastle Owner as £12m Bid for Stoke's Joselu Fails
Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez was left furious after a £12m bid for Stoke City's Joselu failed, and now the former Liverpool manager is preparing to enter fresh talks with Magpies owner Mike Ashley in order to vent his frustration - according to a report published by Mirror.
Newcastle will be desperate to land a new striker before their Premier league opener against Tottenham Hotspur at St. James' Park, and the Spaniard is reportedly dismayed with the lack of urgency shown by Ashley and chief executive Lee Charnley in the transfer window.
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The Potters, now that Marko Arnautovic has made the switch the West Ham this summer, will be understandably reluctant to let Joselu leave the Bet.365 Stadium, despite the 'Toon's' substantial bid for the 27-year-old attacker.
Joselu spent the majority of the 2016-17 campaign on-loan at La Liga outfit Deportivo La Coruna, although Mark Hughes plans to utilise the hit-man this season for Stoke City as they aim to improve upon their showings from last term.
Benitez is also bothered that the club are failing to pursue Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend, after the England winger was given permission to leave the Eagles in the transfer window.
Townsend, 26, is a former Newcastle player and left the North East 12 months ago for south London, although Palace have since rejected a £10m offer from Newcastle for his services.
The board refused to lodge a bid for Townsend in January, but Benitez is still said to be keen on the idea of acquiring his signature for the imminent 2017-18 campaign.
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Benitez understands the pressures to which the Premier League exerts, and made it known to the club's hierarchy that they will need to spend if they're to prosper in the top-flight for the foreseeable future.
But, with Ashley and co. refusing to budge, Benitez will have to make it imperative to his superiors that they pull their wealthy fingers out if they're to ultimately land their proposed transfer targets.
