Newcastle transfer news: Toon boss Rafa Benitez targets £15m-rated Real Sociedad goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli
Magpies shortlist two South Americans as they plot a January swoop for ex-Manchester City stopper or £8m-rated Galatasaray star Fernando Muslera
NEWCASTLE boss Rafa Benitez has shortlisted two South Americans in his search for a new keeper.
Benitez wants to spend on a top stopper in the January transfer window.
And his spies have sent back rave reviews on Geronimo Rulli and Fernando Muslera.
Argentinian Rulli, 25, rated at £15million, is starring for Real Sociedad after joining them from Manchester City, where he never played.
Uruguayan Muslera, 31, has more experience and is in fine form for Galatasaray in Turkey, where he has been for most of his career.
He would be more of a bargain at around £8m.
The Magpies have trusted the gloves to Robert Elliott since their return to the Premier League this season.
The 31-year-old has managed to keep three clean sheets so far in his nine appearances.
TAKING THE MIK Newcastle 1 Crystal Palace 0: Mikel Merino nets dramatic winner for Rafa Benitez’s side as Magpies move up to sixth
His latest shut-out came against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
Newcastle left it late to seal the victory over the visiting Eagles.
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It was supersub Mikel Merino who came off the bench to earn a 1-0 win with just four minutes remaining to fire the Toon into the top six.
Benitez said afterwards: “Obviously always when you win, you have to be really pleased.
“In this case, without playing at the level at which we have been playing in the past, it’s even more important for us to get three points.”
“The way that we scored, good delivery, good determination from Merino, that is also really important to show the character of the team, and until the end we were trying to control, to attack, to push and that is what we have to do.
“Could we play a little bit better? Maybe, but they [Palace] were well-organised, they have confidence, they have pace, good counter-attack, so it was important for us to keep them at the bottom of the table by winning against them.”
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Danny Higginbotham's best bets for this weekend
- Man City vs Burnley - City to score 2+ goals in the second half (4/9): "The deeper Burnley drop, the more narrow they will become. That will bring Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling into the game"
- Newcastle vs Crystal Palace - Andros Townsend to score first (12/1): "Townsend has been liberated by Roy Hodgson"
- Spurs vs Liverpool - Mo Salah to score anytime (9/4): "He is the dangerman"
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