Crystal Palace met Andros Townsend's £13m buyout clause over the summer and the winger left Newcastle United after only six months.
His father says he wanted to stay! He went knocking on Rafa's door begging for a transfer!
Andros Townsend’s father insists the winger put his “heart and soul” into trying to keep Newcastle United up - and that “ideally” he would have “loved” stayed on Tyneside.
The 25-year-old, who joined Crystal Palace in a £13million deal over the summer after the Eagles met his buyout clause, has been recalled to the England squad for Gareth Southgate’s first game in charge of the Three Lions.
He agonisingly missed out on the final 23 for Euro 2016 having been named in the initial squad after scoring four goals and contributing two assists in 13 Premier League appearances for United.
Newcastle essentially resurrected Townsend’s career in January, offering him a return to first-team football by signing him for £12m after the winger had been ostracised at Tottenham Hotspur.
And Townsend Snr praised the impact of Benitez on his son - but suggested that the winger simply had to leave St James’ Park following relegation in order to further his international prospects.
“It was a tug-of-war situation,” Troy Townsend told TalkSport of his son’s decision to sign for Palace.
“I mean, Rafa done absolute wonders for him, ideally he would have loved to stay at the club.
“But if you’re going to be noticed, if you’re going be recognised - obviously he had a massive disappointment in the summer [missing out on the final Euro 2016 squad] - and if you’re going to get yourself back in the area that he wants to be, then unfortunately the Premier League is the only place to be.
“That’s obviously disappointing for Newcastle fans.
“But for the six months he was there I’m not sure there was another player - well there was a few - that put their heart and soul to try and keep that club where it rightly deserves to be.
“I know that some fans have not taken it in the right way and I can understand that, but it just goes to prove how much he did do in the time he was there.”