There are several reports yesterday and today that Kevin Keegan will be handed £50M in the transfer market this summer.
Kevin Keegan – enough money to spend in the summer transfer marker
There were similar reports in January, shortly after Kevin returned as Newcastle manager, but that £50M amount was spread over both the January and summer transfer windows.
Since we didn’t end up signing any senior players in January, that money would be available in the summer.
But we don’t think it’s actually limited even to £50M, because we understand that Ashley is now willing to commit big money to bring in top class players. He wasn’t willing to do that in January with Big Sam because of a couple of reasons
- The team was not doing well and some of Sam’s buys last summer had been struggling at the club
- Some of Sam’s potential targets didn’t exactly thrill Ashley
We have already published some thoughts on Englishman who would seem to be available in the summer and any one of these would be good acquisitions. But after seeing Michael Carrick’s performance yesterday in Manchester United’s 4-0 demolition of Arsenal, where he was spraying balls out to the wings and looking the great midfielder he is, we cannot see the Red Devils letting him go.
The 5 players we identified were:
Wes Brown
Wayne Bridge
Michael Carrick
Stewart Downing
Dean Ashton
But there are other potentially available players, who have massive Premier League experience, who can help us out include:
John Arne Riise – Liverpool
Steve Finnan – Liverpool
Peter Crouch – Liverpool
Nicky Shorey – Reading
And of course our acquisition of top youngsters will continue, so that the first team squad will be big enough for next season quite easily.
Players that we expect to leave would include Stephen Carr, Shola Ameobi and David Rozehnal.
So we are well set for the summer, but there is a dark cloud on the horizon right now, and that is relegation. We still have a job to do to ensure we can stay in the Premier league, and our next game against Manchester United next Saturday, at St. James’ Park, could not be harder, especially after Manchester’s complete rout of Arsenal yesterday in the FA Cup.
Comments very welcome.
72 comments so far
scott9
Feb 17, 2008 at 6:24 PM
Comment #41yes toon jon they only reason i dont put him on there was cause he signed a new deal but i we could still get him he would be a qaulity be we need class players though and we need a top class cb i just cant think of any top top class cb we have a chance of getting theres epople like hetinga kompany and barzagli but i just cant see us getting any of those
chris_toon
Feb 17, 2008 at 6:32 PM
Comment #42well why don’t you all sign sum sorta petition or w.e to get KK out and all you lot become managers because u all seem to kno better than everyone else eho we should buy or sell or what we will get for individual players init!!!!!
Gooderz
Feb 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM
Comment #43The thing about Alex Song is that whilst he is typically a midfielder, I really see him as a great CB for us.
All our current defenders are pretty no nonsense, and unable to play on the ball and bring he ball out of defence. Song is the opposite of them and could make a crucial difference by bringing qualities we’ve rarely seen in a defender. This would also benefit the midfield.
Hopfuly some of you saw some of his Carling Cup exploits this year, other than our match against Arsenal, where he would make absurd runs from the back, but he did keep the ball and started some good attacks.
I can’t think of any top CBs we could get, but that’s not the only problem; they also need to speak good english. So perhaps we should push for Richard Dunne if Man City fail to get a top 4 finish. He’s got the experience to make a huge difference and could play for about another 5 years, in which time Taylor or another young defender should be in prime position to take over that role. And if Man City don’t accept an offer then he can pay of his final year if he is interested in joining Newcastle and fellow Irishmen, Given and Duff.
Tom_Toon
Feb 17, 2008 at 7:34 PM
Comment #44We dont really need this guy but he has long been a favourite of mine: Chevanton, not playing a lot at Sevilla, because he has been injured but mostly on the bench but he is the kind of player to start KK’s free flowng attacking revolution.
robertsA
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:08 PM
Comment #45I would like to see the toon sign NASRI, CARRICK, KROOS, ARSHAVIN and tell Barton to f**k off for chinning that kid. From the defence only keep Taylor, Beye and Faye. then buy UPSON, DAWSON, WHEATER AND BRIDGE. Sell Ameobi, Viduka, Barton, Rozenhal, Enrique, Carr. if any of you dont know who Arshavin, Nasri and Kroos are then researh them.!!!!!!!! it is worth your while.
toon4lyf
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:16 PM
Comment #46aye song is just wat we need in defence also buy these
buy:arca 5m
buy:mcgeady 8m
buy:ashton
sell:barton 5m
sell:butt 1m
sell:carr1m
sell:viduka1m
sell:ameobi2m
given
beye song faye/taylor enrique
mcgeady emre arca nzogbia
ashton owen/martins
figsdad
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:18 PM
Comment #47not enough money he was reported to have around 30mil in jan..
plus with the tv money coming in plus season ticket money we should be looking like 80mil to 100mil if we really want to make a strong push for europe…
toon4lyf
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:19 PM
Comment #48dat team wud ensure uefa cup at least
SPOT THE ZEBRA
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:28 PM
Comment #49I cant fathom why this fascination with Dean Ashton on here.The team is seriously lacking in pace so Ashton shouldnt even be considered in my opinion.
Out of that list id only take Bridge and Carrick but KK would find it difficult to prise the two away from Champions League teams.
I hope we look long term and pursue our recent transfer policy of bringing in younger players and developing them ourselves.Stephen Sunday who was mentioned recently would be a fine aquisition for example.
Most of the “£50 million” would be better spent on developing a better scouting system and bringing in top class coaches.
toon4lyf
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:38 PM
Comment #50dean ashton is a top target man we currently hav nun of those
Tom_Toon
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Comment #51Viduka is miles better than Ashton, he has quality and stays fit for about the same time as ashton aswell.
Geordie Joe
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:43 PM
Comment #52Viduka is much much better than ashton. There is few that can hold the ball up like sir duke.
CJ
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:48 PM
Comment #53Has anyone noticed Chris Mort was always in the paper getting interviewed or on the tele but now it has got really bad we have not heard from him sounds a bit like Freddie.
CJ
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Comment #54Def agree Viduka is better than Ashton they both have a few things in common the main one being always injured and a bit out of shape.
toon4lyf
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:53 PM
Comment #55hav uce watched any newcastle matches this year viduka has been terrible at holding the ball up
CJ
Feb 17, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Comment #56Viduka has hardly played but still managed 5 goals and when he has been holding up the ball you need your strikers or midfielders to help him out which he never gets.
CJ
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:00 PM
Comment #57Toon4lyf- Are you serious Mcgeady 8 mil wouldn’t pay 5mil
ToonJon (PSN ID: jnufcuk)
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Comment #58probs prefer kenwye jones rather than ashton
Tom_Toon
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Comment #59Viduka is one of the best hold up strikers in the prem if not europe.
Dean Ashton cant really hold a ball hes just a fat and lazy half goalscorer.
Tom_Toon
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Comment #60Kenwyne Jones is miles better than Ashton but Viduka still edges it for me, if he could stay fit he’d be immense.
CJ
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Comment #61Def agree viduka great at holding up the ball with a player similiar to Gerrard who burst’s in to the box he would score and create goals all day long.
Toon4lyf are you a smoggy
CJ
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:11 PM
Comment #62Ashton has been in the prem lge for a while now and has not made an impact and Viduka has been scoring goals in the lge for a long time.
Todd
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:11 PM
Comment #63Thing is, there were “reports” of 50 million in January. Ed even says “Since we didn’t end up signing any senior players in January, that money would be available in the summer.”
According to who… ? I haven’t seen one quote from Mort or Ashley saying anything about a dollar amount. And until I do, I’m not gonna assume any amount is available in the summer. I only hope Ashley is willing to spend large amounts on new players. It worries me that there was such a thin squad in January, and nothing was done then.
scott9
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:14 PM
Comment #64i really hope we go for mgeady hes been great for celtic this season hes really creative and just the type of midfileder we need be it on the left right or down the middle he could be a realistic target
Macca
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Comment #65Mcgeady, he’s been flying for Ireland and Celtic latley, he’s really developing. Apparently a lot of clubs are after him, don’t know if he’ll leave and if he does I don’t know if he’d go to Newcastle.
Gooderz
Feb 17, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Comment #66If McGeady is going to leave then it will be for a hefty fee, especially considering Hutton went for 8m quid. To be honest it could be twice that and even then he’s still worth the risk. He’s already shown so much skill and quality in his career and has really taken a big step forward over the last 2 years, and he’s not going to turn 22 for another couple of months or so.
McGeady could be our Joe Cole for a decade or more.
Tom_Toon
Feb 17, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Comment #67We couldnt attract McGeady if he left, he rejected Manure anyway.
I dont necessarily think we need another big striker with all this Ashton talk i just think we need one that contributes to the teams and gets loads of assists and some goals, like Marica or Lavezzi.
Gooderz – You mention Gokhan Unal but what do you think of his team mate Topuz who is a pretty decent right winger.
Nicky Butt is crap!
Feb 17, 2008 at 10:29 PM
Comment #68toon4lyf………..arca?? are you for real you daft bastard! and sell viduka for 1 million…. you must be a smog, lets go ahead and buy mido aswell shall we? idiot!
Ausgeordie
Feb 17, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Comment #69What worries me is that Tottenham are only just above us on the ladder but have managed to bring in three class defenders in the last transfer window whislt we could not get any.
Ed Harrison
Feb 18, 2008 at 1:23 AM
Comment #70Todd – you’re right – it’s a bit inuendo.
But we think now Ashley has his own manager in and Keegan will move players out – Ashley may well start to loosed the purse strings. The amount is unimportant so long as Mike backs Keegan with the players he wants to bring in during the summer.
Toooooooooooooooooon
Feb 18, 2008 at 1:56 AM
Comment #71whats the point of having 50m but being soft at the transfer market? we miss woodgate last January which for me is a big miss(spurs look a decent squad with woodgate playing)…
KK should use the Euro2008 tournament as a scouting place for good players…
AdamCF
Feb 18, 2008 at 6:27 AM
Comment #72Ausgeordie.. I suspect it may be the attraction of Londre.