Rafael Benitez reacts to Fernando Torres speculation

Newcastle United head coach Rafael Benitez has admitted that Fernando Torres could be an attractive summer option for the club, though he is unclear whether the veteran would prefer a return to the Premier League. Torres built a reputation for himself during his top-flight stints with Liverpool and Chelsea, and Benitez had the opportunity to work with the Spaniard at both of those clubs.

In an interview with Marca, Benitez was quizzed about the possibility of a reunion with Torres this summer to which he replied: “I think it will be harder for him to come, not because we don’t want to. I don’t know what’s going on in his head, but maybe he is thinking about something else. It would be attractive, but Idon’t think it would be easy. At Liverpool he was sensational. Then he went to Chelsea and, although he had a bad time when he arrived, he was essential for us in winning the Europa League.”

Torres will draw curtains on his Atletico Madrid career this weekend when their league season comes to a close and the marksman is thereafter expected to pursue a new challenge outside of the Spanish league. Aside from Newcastle, Torres has also been credited with an interest from Celtic and several other MLS clubs and the next couple of weeks could give a fair reflection on which club the Spaniard could play for.

Meanwhile, Benitez’s own future has been under question over the past few days and this has mostly been related to Mike Ashley’s reluctance to offer him with a sizeable transfer kitty for the summer. The Spaniard was hugely disappointed with the limited budget during the previous campaign, although they avoided relegation and a similar repeat could witness his departure from Tyneside. West Ham United have been touted as a possible destination for Benitez, should he decide upon a new Premier League challenge.