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On Saturday, Newcastle United lost by one goal for the third successive game, following up back-to-back 1-0 losses to Everton and West Brom with a 2-1 reverse at Watford. With mid-table mediocrity long ensured, the Magpies have very little to fight for — which is unfortunate, given the central role they could play in Chelsea’s top four pursuit — and for many, like Kenedy, the real battle will be in the summer as futures are sorted out and plans are laid.
“Well, I don’t know [where I will be playing next season].
“My contract here ends at the end of the season. Then I go back to Chelsea, and my agents will decide where to go. Then the battle begins again.”
After several head-turning performance, Kenedy’s formed has tailed off a bit alongside the team’s, but the half-season loan from Chelsea can still be considered a rousing success.
“At Chelsea there are lots of great players, so the chance was little. So I was not playing in a little while. Then this opportunity came, I was very happy I could come to have continuity, to have more time to play.
“Yes, it gives more confidence to come back and play. I had a long time without playing, I think I was a year and a little without playing. So I was happy to be able to play in the Premier League again.”
-Kenedy; source: ESPN Brasil via Chronicle
Whatever may lie ahead for the 22-year-old remains to be seen. Newcastle clearly want him back, though some of that will depend on Rafael Benitez’s future as well as the financial involved. Kenedy has been linked with a few other big names as well, so he might have an interesting decision to make as well, and that’s before we consider what Chelsea (and/or next year’s head coach) might be planning.
For now, what would be most helpful is if Newcastle and Kenedy, for whom it will be the last game this season, could take points off of Spurs (preferably all three) on Wednesday night at Wembley and then let us beat them handily on the final day of the season on Sunday.