Shock news emerges from West Brom on Salomon Rondon - a game changer for NUFC

According to The Chronicle's Lee Ryder, there's now been suggestions from West Brom that Salomon Rondon's £16.5m release clause has expired.

The release clause was made public in the middle of JUNE, and despite it becoming clear that he was a player Benitez was keen to bring to Newcastle United, it seems the club have made no attempt to activate the clause.

In typical Mike Ashley fashion, we've instead been in talks over a potential 'loan swap deal' which would see Dwight Gayle go the other way, however it emerged yesterday that this deal was now looking unlikely - with  Gayle being keen to remain on Tyneside.

With that in mind, it seemed our best hope of signing the Venezuelan was to just activate his release clause - which shouldn't have been a problem after Mitrovic's £22m sale - but instead it now looks like we may have missed the boat.

Here's what Lee Ryder's tweeted in the last few moments:

https://twitter.com/lee_ryder/status/1024933724801130496

We probably knew this all along that this way the case. Was it ever likely that Ashley paid £16.5m for a player nearing his 30's? I think not.

We may go back in for him at a reduced price, but the chances of West Brom now doing a deal seem bleak at best - unless Gayle changes his tune and some sort of 'swap deal' can be resurrected?

Speaking about Rondon last night, Benitez said the following - confirming his interest in the 28-year old striker, but suggesting that we have to respect West Brom's stance over a potential deal:

“Yes. Could be fine if we have an agreement but we have to respect West Brom, and what they decide.”

7 days left to do business..