After the game last night Rafa Benitez was asked the status of any new players potentially coming into the club and he said we were close on a few transfers.
Newcastle need at least a playmaker, a striker and a defender brought in and hopefully we will be able to get two of these players through the door soon, since the season starts in 9 days time at Fulham.
Rafa Benitez – we are close
Players will also leave and the sooner we can get £35M for Moussa Sissoko and have him leave the club the better – his attitude is simply not acceptable for him to stay at Newcastle any longer.
This is some of what Rafa said last night about being close to some signings:
“After Premier League teams started spending some money, people were thinking that the prices would be higher and then it’s more difficult.”
“But still we have some things behind the scenes and we are close.”
So we wonder who the players are that we are close to bringing in.
Maybe the striker is Che Adams and the playmaker is Alex Pritchard?
It seems that Rafa is looking for top young talent who have vast potential for the future, and both these players seem to fit that profile.
20 year-old Che Adams – Sheffield United striker
Adams started off at Coventry came through the Youth Academy before moving to Ilkeston in 2013 for a year and then joining Sheffield United in November, 2014, when he was 18 with a number of clubs from higher divisions trying to sign the youngster.
In December of 2014 he made his professional debut for the Blades in a 1–0 home victory in the League Cup over Southampton.
Adams didn’t do much in his first season at the Blades – 3 goals in 13 appearances – but last season he scored 12 goals in 40 appearances for the League One club.
So far he has 53 appearances with 15 goals and 5 assists for Sheffield United.
Che has played a couple of times for the England U-20 side and he can play on either wing as well as an out-and-out striker.
He has a lots of pace and would be a great addition to the Newcastle side.
23 year-old Alex Pritchard while on loan at Brentford
Pritchard has played in the Championship twice before in his career, first of all when he was on loan at Peterborough for half a season in early 2013 – and then when he was on loan at Brentford for the full 2014-2015 season and played 45 league games and scored 12 goals – a very good record.
The 9 times capped England U-21 International was on loan from January of this year at West Brom, but he played only 3 games.
Alex’s contract at Spurs has three years to run and he will not come cheap, with news that Tottenham want a massive £9M for him – that’s high given his relative lack of experience..
But he looks a very good player in the making and fits the profile of the type of young player Rafa is looking for.
So maybe it’s these two lads that we are close to signing – – and both of therm would be decent signings – if we can get good deals on them.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
17 comments so far
Tsunki
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:12 PM
Comment #1BandB in! Apparently.
Tsunki
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:12 PM
Comment #2Our intrepid interviewer strains at the barrier as the team slowly files into the coach for home…
Ian – “Jack! Jack! Jack!….Jack!……..JACK!….JACK!……
…………
…JAAACCKKK! …”
Jack Colback (removing earbud and briefly catching Ian’s eye before continuing onto the coach, replacing earbud) – “hmmm.hmm.hmm….hmmmm”
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:14 PM
Comment #3Not sure we “need” a striker as a priority. We could do with a playmaker, although i still think we could hold on till January and potentially attract a better one than we can now. We absolutely need a starting LB.
JamesToon
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:17 PM
Comment #4Chronicle saying we’re not interested in Che Adams.
Would like us to go for Ryan Fraser, fast winger, works hard, two footed, problem is he may be in Eddie Howe’s plans this season
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:20 PM
Comment #5Janmaat and Anita are potentially going to be used as back up to ritchie on the rhs. I would have thought that Aarons and Thauvin were the left sided options. So re evaluating what i said before, if thauvin does leave then we will need a left winger as well as a left back
Tsunki
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:25 PM
Comment #6I really do hope that understudy for rw (or in other words the guy who plays most of the season there because of Aarons’ continuous injuries) is not Gouffran. 🙁
Tsunki
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:26 PM
Comment #7Sorry lw.
SPRINGY
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:29 PM
Comment #8if thauvin away as reported,aarons injury mishaps and now ritchie with a slight knock,we are looking a little frail in wide areas now…..sinclair would be an option, good at this level,fairly cheap and still only 27 i believe…he may be worth a good look at.
expatmag
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:30 PM
Comment #9Out the door already……Colo Taylor Marveaux Obertan Cisse Wijnaldum Cabella Thauvin Townsend …….9 players
Soon to depart…….Sissoko Tiote Krul Vukic…….4 players
Players in…..Sels Gayle Ritchie Games Hanley Hayden……6 players
In my opinion, we need another 6 incoming players at least
Jail for Ashley
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:31 PM
Comment #10Brief conversations with players getting on buses would, I presume be carried out while in the presence of unruly teenagers competing for autographs, how one would find the time to discuss new levels of fitness and a particular brand of eye wear previously unknown to a wearer of silly glasses is beyond me!
SPRINGY
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:33 PM
Comment #11expat
out those names 4 or 5 were regular first teamers…and then only 2-3,4 were regular starters,would like 6 for depth but would take 3-4 quality signings
Hail Wor Ashley
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:36 PM
Comment #12Ian Toon is a cnut!
expatmag
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:36 PM
Comment #13Springy
Agree about Sinclair. I actually thought Charles N’zogbia would be worth bringing back too. He is only 29.
We need to bring in Hughes from Derby, Taylor from Leeds and the young s ortish winger at Celtic, James Forrest, might be worth a look.
Defensively, I think we are sound but we need more creative and wide options.
Ian Toon
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:36 PM
Comment #14Tsunki- Stereotyping footballers!! Just won’t do Buster. Not like you to stereotype anyone- Yer right!
My nephew had a selfie with him. My brother knows him – Jack is a good chap old bean. Southend reminded me of Whitley Bay- not too many plugs in ears.
I am though hoping to use the limited material elsewhere, should JC be selected as a starter in the Fulham game. Along the lines of “then and now, under Benitez”. It’s planned to be from Real Madrid to 2nd Division football in England. You geddit!
martoon
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:37 PM
Comment #15Off topic we’ve has some shocking strips in the past but not quite as bad as these
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/e2c91a48-df95-4398-bf5f-ffe6fde64aac?intc_type=promo&intc_location=sport&intc_campaign=norwichkit&intc_linkname=bbcthree_norwichkit_article
SPRINGY
Jul 27, 2016 at 12:37 PM
Comment #16theres little to no mention of left backs being mentioned so looks like its dummett,haidara or maybe a youngin to battle for the left back spot….but if they were going to bring a player in for left back,a sneaky bid for robertson at hull might be worth a go with hull all over the place at the minute.
Toon Sufferer
Jul 27, 2016 at 8:36 PM
Comment #17On the subject of the left back spot does mbabu not play there?