Benitez names the signings he wants Ashley to secure - Exciting & worrying news for NUFC fans

Speaking about the signings he wants to see happen between now and next month's deadline, Rafa Benitez has confirmed his wish to sign 'two or three offensive players' and some defensive cover.

It was a clear message to Mike Ashley (see quotes in full here), with Benitez practically admitting that he's still needs another four or five deals to be done between now and August 9th - which is just 25 days away.

It's an exciting prospect, with this appearing to be exactly what we need before the start of the new season, but it's a real worry to hear that he's expecting a raft of key signings to be completed with just over 3 and a half weeks left to do business.

Given our typically sluggish approach to transfer negotiations and Ashley's inability to pay the going rate, are these signings attainable in the time we've got left?

https://twitter.com/BlackWhiteBarmy/status/1018499079733764096

We've already had a few months to do business and have managed to sign three up until this point (one loan, one free, one release clause), so unless Ashley and Charnley suddenly decide to buck their ideas up and get deals done, I'm struggling to see how we give Rafa what he wants - and needs.

A striker will not come easy and there's not long left, so I fear that this deal alone may take up the majority of our time between now and August 9th.

Get that done quickly and who knows, but we have plenty players to sell and several keys deals left to do - which won't come easy if our budget is as limited as some are suggesting.

Fingers crossed folks. It'll be a real turnaround and a potentially exciting season if Rafa gets the 'two or three' attackers he wants, but I can't help but worry that we'll 'run out of time' if we don't start making moves soon.