Newcastle have signed four players so far this season.
Craig Gardner – could have been good buy for Newcastle
But Sunderland signed four players last week, one transfer each in successive days, as it turned out.
First in was 18 year-old Connor Whickham from Ipswich, the 18 year-old England U21 International striker, for an initial £8M up front, and that fee could rise to £12M, if Connor comes through well on Wearside.
Next through the door was 20 year-old South Korean striker Ji Dong-won, who Newcastle have been linked with this year, and while no fee was mentioned, it couldn’t have been more than £1M.
Next in was Birmingham City central midfielder Craig Gardner, for around £6M, again a player who has been linked with Newcastle this summer.
We are told that Alan Pardew may be after Manchester United’s Darron Gibson for £5M, but we think Craig would have been better value for the money.
And last through the door yesterday was free agent Sebastian Larsson, again of Birmingham City, who Newcastle were close to signing in January, until The Blues decided they wanted to keep the 25 year-old through the end of the season.
Why Newcastle were willing to pay £1M for Larsson in January for the Swedish International, but were not interested in the player as a free agent this summer, we have no idea.
So Sunderland got four players through the door in four days last week for around £14M in total, which could rise to £18M depending how Connor Whickham does.
Of those four Sunderland players, we would have liked to have seen Newcastle bring in Larsson and Gardner, and forgotten about Darron Gibson.
And of course Gardner could have been a good replacement for Kevin Nolan, since Craig scored a good 10 goals for Birmingham last season in 36 appearances, and could have replaced some of Kevin’s goal-scoring ability in the Newcatsle central midfield.
And Connor Whickham is an exciting prospect, although whether he can come through and be the big player he aspires to – is still uncertain.
Newcastle on the other hand have brought in Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, Sylvain Marveaux and 18 year old Mehdi Abeid so far this summer, and the last three are free agents, and Yohan cost around £4.5M from Lille.
Newcastle are also after PSG’s Mevlut Erdinc for around £6.5M, Swansea’s Neil Taylor for £1M, and maybe former winger Charles N’Zogbia for around £9M, with Sunderland are also said to be interested in the French International.
But the Magpies do seem to be just a little reticent to pay out big transfer fees this summer, even though they are flush with the £35M Andy Carroll cash.
It would be difficult to say which club has had done better so far in the transfer market – what do you think?
Comments welcome.
84 comments so far
magpie6699
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:40 AM
Comment #1Thought this was a Newcastle blog?
magpie6699
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:40 AM
Comment #2Not interested in Southern teams.
spitfire_
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:44 AM
Comment #3Only Gardner is good, the others are a mediocre players.
carrollsinger
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:48 AM
Comment #4Was gonna say the same thing magpie why waste time and effort writing about the scum! If we bought in defoe/strurridge Taylor and zog I would be well happy
eaststandgeordie1982
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:49 AM
Comment #5They lost 6 players remember and are miles behind us for quality
valle
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:51 AM
Comment #6Come on Mr. Harrison, dont panic!!!
Did we really want any of those? Who would they replace if they got here? Gardner for Tiote or Cabaye, Larsson for Barton, Dong-Won for Ba?… Wicham might get to be a good player, but we have no idea yet and if Carr didnt think we should nip him then thats fine by me… As for Gibson i think its a trick to get Sunderland busy since they seem to like a few of the players we have scouted, non the less Zog.
We have had a great window so far and we will see a few more yet to come, so good time on SJP
eaststandgeordie1982
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:52 AM
Comment #7Defoe is to old for what we are doing sturridge is to expensive doesnt look like we will get zog how come we put 2 bids in for him in jan 10m and 12m hes up for 9m we shud just get it done its a joke
Toon-tinted-glasses
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:54 AM
Comment #8Not sure of the wisdom of putting this headline up Ed, For example, it will appear under the SAFC ‘Newsnow List’ so get ready for the WUM influx of abuse etc from the dark side…
Also, I am in agreement with the other posters so far on here; we should concentrate on NUFC, not other clubs on here, unless the news directly relates to us (eg someone sniffing around one of our players!)
Otherwise, keep up the great work, Ed, and I hope things are going well with the treatment! 😀
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:55 AM
Comment #9eaststandgeordie1982 – exactly, its pretty clear that those bids were only placed in Jan to please the fans and look as though they tried to spend some of the money, as they knew Wigan would never accept them that late in the day.
Its a joke, we have £35million still sitting there and will be lucky if we spend £10m
cousto
Jul 2, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Comment #10The SMB’s can sign those players, but they’ll still get f***ed come derby day. Mr Potato head will never replace Bent
ToonMatt
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:00 AM
Comment #11It’s sickening that Sunderland can go out and pay decent money for players, When we are looking around for bargains and lower league players, Cant wait for Ashley to sell up and go!!!
Toon-tinted-glasses
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:02 AM
Comment #12How are they paying for these players? I thought I saw something about them getting paid & paying for things in instalments, so they have quite difficult loans to service their transfer activities?
WWJBD
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:03 AM
Comment #13ToonMatt
Every player they signed was from a lower league team. And 2 were free, 3 were barginsand 1 is a expensive kid….but good point!
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:05 AM
Comment #14Toon-tinted-glasses – they got £40m for Bent and Henderson, and their owner is willing to spend it to progress the team
geordiefinn
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:06 AM
Comment #15ToonMatt:
for example, would you take Larsson instead of Cabaye or Ji/Wickham instead of Ba? Sunderland are buying only average and unproven players, while we are getting international players. Sunderland have paid nearly 20 mln for 5 players, while we have paid 4 million for 3 players and theres hopefully at least 2 to come. Im happy with the way Ashley leads the club, we dont splash the cash anymore.
nufc.romania
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:06 AM
Comment #16hey… i have 1 just found the new the new Drogba Souleymane Coulibaly, but is more like new Obafemi Martins because of tall, he just scored 9 goal in 4 mathces in 2011 U-17 World Cup, hes playing for Siena in Italy, what dou you think ?
cousto
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Comment #17ToonMatt, decent money for mediocre players. What would you rather have, a 8M rated striker (Ba) for free or pay the inflated 12M that teams would probably ask for him?
Larsson and Gardner are mediocre, Wickham is unproven and never heard of Dong-Won
hitman
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:08 AM
Comment #18WHO CARES
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:09 AM
Comment #19geordiefinn – no, but I would have taken Ji/Wickham as well as Ba, and Larsson plays a diff postion to Cabaye, however I would have taken Garnder aswell as Cabaye. When signing players it doesn’t have to be one or the other you know, its called building a SQUAD.
daffy
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:14 AM
Comment #20Our new signings are quality , think theres alot of jealousy from toon fans , will your french fancys , be up for a scrap at wor place ? Na the white flag will be up straight away . Bring it on . Ha,way The Lads.
roshan MAGPIE
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:16 AM
Comment #21those players who safc has signed are average players
nufcgaz687
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:16 AM
Comment #22http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3672803/Newcastle-eye-Wayne-Bridge-as-Gael-Clichy-set-to-join-Manchester-City.html
cant see this happening
jim
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Comment #23Talking of Obafemi Martins- why not bring him back to the toon? he would come-wouild be cheap and can score goals-would also be great with demba ba and give us cover if ba was injured?-ide still like another sriker aswell tho but maybe we could bring Martins in on loan with a view to buy? or just buy him? he could even be free! Oba- Oba Fem!
toonfan76
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:23 AM
Comment #24Hey Dafty, we’re still gonna beat Sunderland this coming season, we’re just gonna do it with more flair and style, something your team totally lacks.
geordiefinn
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:27 AM
Comment #25Nick 69:
Well, I’m sure NUFC are bringing one striker, if it is Erdinc or someone else, I’m sure they are bringing in a better one than Ji/Wickham. No matter where does Larsson play, he’s shite anyway. Gardner wouldn’t even fit on the bench if we’d signed him, but as a squad player he would been good for us.
Of course we are building squad, in my opinion we need 1 leftback, 1 striker and one cb and we are fine.
There are 2 MONTHS left the transfer window. If sunderland bought again 5 new, average players next week, im sure you would want ashley to do same. it doesn’t make sence at all.
daffy
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:30 AM
Comment #26Your losing influential players like Nolan & prob Barton & replacing them with unknown French tarts.
geordiefinn
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:33 AM
Comment #27Daffy:
And Sunderland are buying players from relegated team, from championship and from KOREAN LEAGUE? Surely they will lead you to europe…
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:34 AM
Comment #28geordiefinn – I wouldnt expect Ashley to buy 5 avergae players at all. What I do expect is him to keep his word, invest the £35m in 4 more, good quality players, don’t care how much of the £35m it takes, but I wont be happy until we have a strong enough squad which IMO needs a full back, CB, RW and striker at least
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:36 AM
Comment #29daffy – we may have lost Nolan. But we still have Barton, Taylor, Shola, Tiote, Colo, Jonas and at the minute Jose, who will all be more than up for the scrap, as they proved last season, when it was YOU who had the white flag up
geordiefinn
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:38 AM
Comment #30Nick 69:
I understand your point, but we simply can’t judge him now as there is almost two months left the transfer window. Btw I doubt we are going to spend more than 15 million, but anyway we will have better squad than last season (assuming jose and joey wont leave).
YoYo Yohan
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:38 AM
Comment #31Can you call 2 players from a relegated side good signings?, Larsson is and always will be average and Gardner will not play aswell for another club as he did for Brum.
Hopefully N’Zogbia and a striker will come in, hopefully one of Erdinc or Osvaldo.That will probably mean a outlaye of near to £20 Million.
hitman
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:38 AM
Comment #32daffy theres nowt to be jelous aboot,yous have bought avarage players.
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:41 AM
Comment #33geordiefinn – I agree, and no we cant judge yet, however we can be concerned after Pardews comments that we’ll get 1 more signing before USA then MAYBE 1 more after, which simply isnt good enough. I will wait until the window shuts, however Ashley has form, and has left us underwhelmed every transfer window so far
geordiefinn
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:44 AM
Comment #34Nick 69:
Has Pardew ever kept his word? 😀
geordiefinn
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:47 AM
Comment #35Yeah, 1&2 signings wont be enough, as you said we need 3 or 4 depending how versatile the new signings will be, but hopefully we wont be disappointed…
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:48 AM
Comment #36haha no he hasnt, at least not when he’s said something that pleases us fans, however when he says something disappointing, I suddenly get the feeling he’s about to become a man of his word!! But thats just what this Mike Ashley regime has done to us fans, made us cynical
Lynxie
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:53 AM
Comment #37ToonMatt@11:
theres a big difference between paying out decent money for players, and paying money for DECENT players. I couldnt give a ratsarse about how many journeymen the Albanians sig up, its what happens on the second saturday of the season that counts. We are buying quality, whereas a fool and his money are easilly parted. Connor Whickham is in for the shock of his life, this season playing against topp drawer defenders instead of hopeless has-beens and never-will-bes. Larrsson and Gardner are so good they got relegated last season. Enough said.
Nick 69
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:55 AM
Comment #38Lynxie – I agree for the most part, however you cant discount Gardner and Larrson just because they were relegated because so was the majority of our squad. Gardner is a decent player and scores goals from midfield, something we now lack
daffy
Jul 2, 2011 at 9:56 AM
Comment #39Aey Lynxie & most of your players were relegated a couple of seasons back or have you forgot that ? nuff said.
Lynxie
Jul 2, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Comment #40Overpriced and under talented midfielder (Henderson)out: Over rated and under talented midfielder (Gardner) in. Silly old Mrs Doubtfire has got rid of a 20 year old Ford Cortina, and bought a 20 year old Ford Escort. Halfwit. We will have him sulking again in August looking around for a ‘special’ song for the fans, to deflect abuse from his pish poor team ha ha ha