Sorry Kenedy, just one 2017/18 signing named in our five best Benitez captures at Newcastle
5. Daryl Murphy
Signed from: Ipswich Town – Fee (approx): £3million – Appearances: 23
A signing of Benitez’s which was met with indifference from the Toon Army, the capture of Murphy proved that the Spaniard was a different class to manager from those who had preceded him in the St James’ Park dugout.
By no means the sort of attacker the Newcastle faithful would have expected through the door in 2016, especially considering his history at Sunderland, the veteran was very much back up to the likes of Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic, not making a league appearance until January 2017.
However the target man was exactly what Benitez needed; an experienced head who knew the division inside out, showing off the manager’s first-class reading not only of a match but a season-long situation.
While by no means prolific, he scored seven goals in 13 starts, and after doing his duty, left for Nottingham Forest as something of a cult hero on Tyneside.
Click below to find out who sits fourth in our top five list of Benitez’s top signings…