Rafa Benitez reacts to this summer's '˜crazy' transfer market

Rafa Benitez is hopeful of arrivals at Newcastle United '“ despite a 'crazy' transfer market, writes Miles Starforth.
Rafa BenitezRafa Benitez
Rafa Benitez

The club has already signed six players in this summer’s transfer window.

But United – who sold Georginio Wijnaldum to Liverpool last week for £25million – are still short in key areas.

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Newcastle, again linked with Fulham’s Ross McCormack, need to sign another striker ahead of the new Championship campaign.

And the club will need to replace Wijnaldum and also further strengthen at the back following the summer departures of Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor.

However, Benitez – who also sanctioned the sale of Papiss Cisse this summer – has labelled this summer’s transfer market, inflated by the Premier League’s new multi-billion pound TV deal, as “crazy”.

Asked if there would be more signings, United manager Benitez said: “Hopefully. We are working and trying to improve the squad.

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“It’s not easy now. The market is quite crazy, no? Crazy prizes everywhere. We try to do our best.”

Meanwhile, former United defender Steven Taylor, a free agent after leaving St James’s Park this summer, is understood to be close to signing for Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers.

The 30-year-old travelled to the USA late last week and watched Saturday’s home game against LA Galaxy.