Manager Rafa Benitez isn’t planning to sell Moussa Sissoko, as he hopes to keep the Newcastle United squad as strong as possible.
Sissoko confirmed earlier in the week that he does want to depart St. James’ Park after Newcastle’s relegation to the Championship.
The French midfielder was hopeful of a move to another English club participating in the Champions League, with Arsenal in particular standing out to him.
But, with Newcastle under no pressure to sell any of their key players, Sissoko may have to stay put for the Magpies’ stint in England’s second tier.
And now, Rafa Benitez has confirmed his own intentions to keep “very important” Sissoko at Newcastle.
When asked about the 26-year-old’s future during an interview with BBC Newcastle, Benitez had this to say:
I will try to keep him for sure.
My idea is to try and keep the squad as strong as possible.
I think that we have to analyse every single situation; every single case.
Sissoko – he knows, because obviously I was talking to his agent, and obviously he knows that he’s an important player for us.
The only thing I can say about him in terms of what he did as a player is positive.”
Benitez is aiming to keep the majority of the Newcastle squad together in order to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. He clearly feels under no pressure to sell, and Sissoko’s comments will not force his hand.
These comments, I think it’s important to realise that they will not change things.
We said what we said before: We want to keep the squad as strong as possible and then we will analyse every single case.
We will try to do the best for the team.”
