Newcastle Transfers: 8 Players Rafa Benitez Still Needs To Get Rid Of

The fact that Real Madrid and Inter are allegedly interested in Moussa Sissoko, and at the same time Newcastle fans are ushering him towards the exit, tells you everything you need to know about the Jekyll-and-Hyde character.

As exemplified at the Euros, when the Frenchman feels in the mood, he can be an outstanding midfielder, full of running, purpose and energy. His engine is unrivalled in the Premier League, and his ability to bustle his way through defenders, shrugging them off as if they were made of tinfoil, is a joy to behold.

What is not quite so amusing is his laissez-faire attitude to knuckling down and giving his all for the club who pays his wages.

For the last two years or so, Sissoko has been a shadow of the player he can be, drawing the ire of Newcastle fans for his failure to put his body on the line, unwillingness to track back and embarrassing end product. The fact that Sissoko can command a £35 million price tag and speaks of Champions League football should really drum home how big a failure he has been.

For a man of his talents to have ended up in the second tier of English football, it’s akin to the brightest kid in school failing his GCSE’s.