Mikel Merino

[HughieG]

He's hinting that he might leave already this summer. I think he needs more gametime here to improve, though you couldn't argue with the Shelvey-Diame constellation during the last part of the season. I'd be unhappy to see him go, but who knows what will happen.

[waalsendmick]

Diame has played well 2nd half of the season, but we really need somebody a bit quicker than him if we really want to push on.

I don't know if Merino is that man but he looked good early last season and he's still young, so we should be doing our best to keep players like him.

[Kingstonbob1]

Hasn’t he had a back injury? Also heard he is home sick.

[HughieG]

Yeah and he never got quite up to speed after that injury I suppose. I hope he sticks around another season.

[toptoon]

The type of player we need to keep a hold of if he´s happy at the club.

[ghostrider]

I think he's struggled with the defensive part of the game earlier on in terms of keeping up with it all.
He's got the potential to be a really good player but it remains to be seen if he can get fully up to speed next season.
Maybe the bad back is a bit of a molehill made into a mountain to give him a large amount of breathing space whilst Rafa dropped him for not giving his all.

Hard to tell really but time will tell whether he's after having a good crack at it.
Lejeune managed it and will step up a notch like Lascelles, in my opinion.
A top centre back pairing as good as any in the premier next season....potentially...assuming we hold on to them.

[Jammy89]

I'd hate to lose him as i think he's going to be a cracking player.

However, if he is homesick and is hinting (telling Rafa) he wants to go then we should let him and bank a good sum for him.

But i'd really hate to lose him this quickly.

[ranat22]

rafa has worked miracles with a chimpionship squad this season...one of the biggest being diame...he's been outstanding this year.....even sending mitro out on loan,allowing him to re-focus as he wasnt putting it in..in training...he has now added 5 million to his value....rafa should get a raise,he making the fat slug a fortune!

[HughieG]

Ashley (and his supporters) will never recognize that though, Ranat. When an outcome is good, it's down to luck (or even down to Ashley himself). If it's bad, it's Rafa's fault.

Not everything Ashley does is bad, but he's got a lot of things wrong over the past 10 years, and Rafa should get some credit (the credit that Hughton never got) for steering the ship in the right direction.

[TheOtherTerryMac]

Ashley (and his supporters) will never recognize that though, Ranat. When an outcome is good, it's down to luck (or even down to Ashley himself). If it's bad, it's Rafa's fault.

Not everything Ashley does is bad, but he's got a lot of things wrong over the past 10 years, and Rafa should get some credit (the credit that Hughton never got) for steering the ship in the right direction.

If you talk to the vast majority of Toon Supporters they all recognise what a fantastic job Rafa has done with a limited budget. You will always get a couple though who think he is rubbish.

If you did a poll of the fans at a home game as to who they like the best Ashley or Rafa I think you would see the true consensus of opinion.