Latest reports claim that Newcastle United have rejected two bids from RSC Anderlecht for their out-of-favour goalkeeper, Matz Sels. The preliminary offer was for €6m for both Chancel Mbemba and Sels but the Magpies decided to accept a separate bid from FC Porto for the former.
Anderlecht came back with a €2m bid for the shot-stopper but got halted in their tracks by the United management. A very confusing bit of news for the Magpies faithful to digest, since Sels is clearly not in any sort of the club’s plans under Rafael Benitez.
The 26-year-old is coming back from loan with the Belgian outfit after making 37 appearances last season. He has only appeared in 14 games for United since his arrival to Tyneside in June 2016 and a handful for the club’s U23 side.
Benitez already has brought out Martin Dubravka from Sparta Prague permanently and has backup in Rob Elliot and Karl Darlow. The 21-year-old Freddie Woodman is ahead of Sels in the pecking order and it is just absurd to think that a club would employee five goalkeepers to the senior team.
Newcastle are also looking to make quality additions to the outfield which will require a significant bit of cash. Benitez could not pull off a move for Nicolai Jorgensen in January due to the scarcity of funds and had to opt for an Islam Slimani-loan move from Leicester City.
The Spaniard’s best hope of raising money is selling off some of the unnecessary pieces in the current squad. No reports have come out regarding interest from any other club which begs the question, why did Newcastle refuse?
The only way Sels remains at the side is if either Darlow or Elliot makes their way out of the club. The stock of the duo are not exactly high in the present market with no notable sides expressing much interest.
Woodman is already looking towards a loan spell out of the club for further development which would leave the 26-year-old with a fair shot at the number two spot.
Has the Belgian youth international impressed during his time away from the Tyneside to make Benitez give his prospects a second thought?
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This seems like a classic case of bluffing to drive the price up but unfortunately might just have turned against Newcastle, as reports claim that Anderlecht are not interested in coming back with a third bid.
