Sam Allardyce And Rafa Benitez
Rafa Benitez has urged Everton to be ready for the upcoming January transfer window and has explained it is “crucial” for the club to sign players who want to be here. The Blues confirmed five new arrivals across the course of the summer following the appointment of the Spaniard – with Andros Townsend, Asmir Begovic, Demarai Gray, Andy Lonergan and Salomon Rondon all putting pen-to-paper. But the club were without additions in key areas of the pitch, with Benitez not ruling out potentially moving for more transfers in the winter. With funds opened up after the sale of James Rodriguez to Al-Rayyan, the manager knows the club must be ready to act when the window opens once more.
Rafa Benitez said: “For January, we have to be ready. It’s too early to be talking about the transfer window and the ideas. The fans know what we need, we know what we need. It’s just to be sure that, when the time arrives, we are ready. The balance between top class players, players who want to be here and they can be important players for us during the winter – it doesn’t matter. Players have to have the passion to fight for us. But at the same time they have to have the quality to make the team and the squad better.”
Energy and commitment have been at the heart of Benitez’s side so far this season, with Gray and Townsend particularly demonstrating those qualities through their performances after joining the club. And the manager has highlighted how important it is for players to have a strong desire to play for Everton after they arrive.
Rafa Benitez said: “I think it’s crucial to have players who really want to come. We have to be sure we propose them something attractive, to make sure they come here with the motivation you need. At the same time I can see that, because I have experience without money. You have to be sure they’re good players, if you want to improve the level of the team you have to bring in good players. But it has to be players who will come here and perform. Not just names, and then maybe they can or they can’t. We need to know 100% what we are trying to bring here. And they will come and will do everything for the team, because it’s what the fans are expecting, that’s simple. But it’s not just that. The passion and the desire and the commitment is good, but at the same time it’s the balance. We need more quality to be sure we increase the level of the squad. There are not too many players, especially in the transfer window in January, that will be available and keen to come if they are playing in the Champions League and things like that. It’s not easy, we know the difficulties now, and we have to start working on that.”
Benitez admits that the January transfer window remains more “complicated” than the summer to find the right level of player. However, he is confident that the right attitude is key, as well as the quality of the star involved in any potential transfer.
Rafa Benitez concluded: “No, I think it’s the right attitude and mentality – professionals want to improve. This is the kind of player we are looking for. If you have that, then you can add the quality and you have the ideal player. We have some this window that we could find, it’s not easy and January is complicated, but maybe you bring in young players with the desire to improve. Maybe players who are not playing who have experience and are good professionals. I think it’s to find the right character, attitude and mentality – and then the right quality to improve the squad.”
