Newcastle United are having a struggle shedding Yoan Gouffran and Manu Riviere from St James’ Park, report the Chronicle Live, due to the wage demands of the players.
French Ligue 1 side Lorient are said to be wanting the Magpies’ duo but the Chronicle report that they “are experiencing a delay” with any potential loan deal “due to discussions about wages.”
The pair are thought to be on Premier League level wages of around £70,000-per-week, something that will not fit within Lorient’s wage structure. With the pair’s wages being so high and with Newcastle wanting “to see Lorient pick up their salaries,” it appears that the move is at an impasse.
French publication Le Télégramme, quotes Lorient Vice President Alex Hayes on the matter of the hold-up in bringing in the Magpies’ players, with Hayes reiterating that a major sticking point holding up the deal is the salaries the pair are on. Hayes says: “These are not easy deals because they are players who are failing in England. They have, in addition, high salaries.”
Newcastle will no doubt wish to remove such high earners from the payroll to allow them to bring in other options, something that manager Rafa Benitez admits is what the Magpies need. Speaking in a separate Chronicle article, Benitez says he agrees with the fans that further attacking flair is needed to push for a return to the Premier League at the first opportunity.
On bringing in new signings, Benitez told the Chronicle: “I know what the fans think and I agree 100 per cent. What they say is what we know. The problem is that it’s not easy to go for a winger or a full-back or a striker and spend some money that you don’t think is the right money.”
