It was a disappointing campaign on Tyneside last season for Newcastle United as they found themselves relegated back to the Championship following some disastrous displays throughout.
Hopes that the North East side could achieve a top half finish at the beginning of the season were high especially with local man Steve McClaren at the helm.
But that is where the dream was ended and with the season a couple of months from the end and Newcastle well in the relegation dogfight Mike Ashley decided to replace McClaren with Rafa Benitez a move which the owner clearly left to late and the club succumbed to relegation following rivals Sunderland’s home victory over Everton.
Now the passionate Geordie fans must endure at least another season of Championship football playing the likes of Burtin Albion and Brentford as opposed to Manchester United and Chelsea, but that will not stop the fans supporting their side in numbers and encouraging their side to victory.
But before that Benitez has a task on his hands and has to decide who is up for the rigours of Championship football and who isn’t.
So the local newspaper The Chronicle decided to poll the fans who decided nine players they think the club should look to sell this summer as they rebuild for the battle for a coveted Premier League place come the end of next season.
Hit Benitez below to see NINE players Newcastle want to see the back of this summer!
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Cheick Tiote
The Ivory Coast international appears to have lost the will to battle at the heart of the Newcastle United midfield.
He is one of many who put in numerous lacklustre performances for the side when they needed him most, and it would not be a surprise to see him move on from the club this summer.
Tiote has been with the club since 2010 and has made over 140 appearances for the club scoring on one occasion.
Moussa Sissoko
Another midfielder who has failed to live up to the expectations which he set himself in previous campaigns at the club.
The French international has been with the club since 2013 and you can count on one hand the amount of times he performed well for the club last season which probably makes him an odds on favourite to leave St James Park this summer.
Sissoko has made over 130 appearances for the club since arriving from Toulouse and scored on 12 occasions.
Daryl Janmaat
The Dutchman is another who hasn’t earnt his wage for a majority of the last season and is another Benitez must be thinking about moving on this summer.
The 26 year old has been part of what was a disjointed back four for the last season and his lack of ability to tackle left him exposed and week on the right hand side of the Newcastle defence.
As one of the club’s top earners the club will be eager to move on the man who signed for an undisclosed fee from Feyenoord back in 2014.
To date the Dutchman has appeared on over 70 occassions for the club and scored on five occasions.
Siem De Jong
Another player who has not played his part purely for not being good enough to play in the Premier League.
A product of the famous Ajax academy he has failed to show any of the talent he had shown that encouraged Newcastle to pay £9 million and offer a six year contract.
An error of judgment from the heirachy at St James Park he could well be on his way this summer having made just 22 appearances in his two seasons at the club.
Henri Saivet
The Senegelese international only joined the club during the January transfer window.
It was obvious from the start that Saviet was not up for the fight required for a relegation battle and a clear panic buy from former manager Steve McClaren as a lady throw of the dice.
An expensive mistake which cost the club £5 million when he joined from Bordeaux but poor performances have seen him limited to just four appearances in the famous black and white stripe and someone the fans would not mind seeing the back off this summer.
Papiss Cisse
Well what can be said about one of the most inconsistent strikers to ever play in the Premier League.
Hit the ground running during his first six months at St James Park and became an instant hit with the fans following a spree of 13 goals in 14 games for the club.
But that was the best to come from Senegelese striker who has since gone on to make 111 appearances scoring on 44 occasions.
Highly expected to leave for China or Qatar during the summer and the Newcastle fans will be glad to see the back of a player who has shown no passion for the club’s plight over the last season.
Emmanuel Rivière
The French striker is yet another who has failed to hit the heights expected of him upon signing for the club back in 2014.
Alan Pardew paid £6 million to bring the striker to St James Park from Monaco following a good season for the French side which saw a return of 14 goals in 44 appearances.
But the former French Under 21 international has found life tough on Tyneside scoring just once in 26 appearances and didn’t manage to make a single appearance for the club last season, so expect him to be another moved on this summer.
Fabricio Coloccini
The Argentine defender has been a mainstay at the back for Newcastle United for many a season and was part of the title winning side that won promotion back to the Premier League back in 2009-10 season.
He has gone on to make over 250 appearances at St James Park during his eight years at the club and it appears that the time has come for the defender to move on this summer.
Reports suggest he is on the brink of a return to his homeland with San Lorenzo and I am sure he leaves with the best wishes of all the fans at Newcastle United.
Yoann Gouffran
Another Frenchman and another failure of a signing luckily he only cost the club £500,000 when he joined from Bordeaux in the January transfer window of 2013.
It appeared that Alan Pardew had struck gold when he signed the experienced Gouffran but it soon went sour following a couple of good performances for Newcastle in his opening year at the club.
Anither who has seen chances limited since signing over three years ago, and due to poor performances has seen his appearances restricted 89 appearance during his time with the club and failed to make a first team appearance for the club last season.
