Rafa Benitez looking for '˜best solution' for Newcastle's Tim Krul

Rafa Benitez is keen to see Newcastle United's Tim Krul play games '“ and he's keen to find a 'solution' for the goalkeeper.
Tim KrulTim Krul
Tim Krul

Krul is on a season-long loan at Dutch club Ajax.

But the 28-year-old – who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament playing for Holland in October 2015 – is yet to play a competitive senior fixture for the club. Krul, under contract at Newcastle for another 18 months – is being kept out of the team by the form of Andre Onana.

United manager Benitez has been speaking to Krul, who could even be loaned to another club for the second half of the campaign.

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“He was playing with the Under-21s – 90 minutes,” said Benitez. “That’s fine, but he needs games in the first team.

“We sent him on loan because he needed to play and they had confidence in him. It’s up to them, but he needs to play.”

Benitez says what happens next will be down to Ajax, who signed Krul after losing Jasper Cillessen to Barcelona.

Asked if there was a chance that Krul could be loaned to another club in this month’s transfer window, Benitez said: “I don’t know.

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“It depends on them, but to come back here and stay with us makes no sense.

“We will try to find the best solution for him. But there has to be contact with Ajax.”

Meanwhile, Benitez also suggested that Rob Elliot, also back fit after recovering from ACL surgery, would not be loaned out.

Asked if he would be loaned, Benitez said: “No. He has to keep playing with the Under-23s to improve his fitness.