After bringing in two experienced players yesterday in defender Ciaran Clark and attacking midfielder Mohamed Diame, Rafa Benitez is still not finished and would like to bring in up to three more players before the transfer window slams shut on August 31st.
But it looks like one of those players will not be Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert and during the call-in program with Mick Lowes on BBC Radio Newcastle last night, Rafa said it was doubtful Newcastle could get fellow promotion candidates Brighton to sell them the winger.
Rafa Benitez – during a training session
This is what Rafa said last night about winger who we were after back in 2012 when he was just 20 and still at Guingamp:
“We know that will not be easy. “It will be tough to convince them. Normally, you try to sign a player, and if you cannot, you move on.”
Rafa had this to say when asked about bringing in Ciaran Clark and Mohamed Diame for a combined £9.5M yesterday – and whether he was now finished in the transfer market:
“Obviously, we know about the problems at centre-back last year,” “And we wanted to be sure we had enough people.
“Diame can score goals. Every team needs an offensive midfielder who can score goals.”
“On new arrivals – hopefully so. We know we need something. I’m really pleased with the squad and the players.”
We know we have to bring something that will give us more balance.” “I would like two or three more players if it is possible.”
“For me, the key is balance,” “We have to be strong enough in defense and really good in attack.”
Here’s where we stand today in terms of the players who have left the club and those we have brought in and we still haven’t spent anything in net terms – and Newcastle are still making a profit of around £4.5M this summer on the deals we have made.
[table “51” not found /]We expect Jamaal Lascelles to be named the new Newcastle United captain at 9:30 am today and if we had to hazard a guess as to who the new number 9 will be – we’d say Dwight Gayle.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
26 comments so far
Ron Knee
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:20 AM
Comment #1From The Mag:-
“Subsequent to our prior relegation, Burnley’s win percentage of 56.5% is the general average for teams seeking automatic promotion from the Championship. To put it another way – since the millennium no team that has achieved 26 wins in a season has failed to gain promotion.”
JamesToon
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:36 AM
Comment #2How are we taking 7000 fans to Fulham?! Is that the allocation they have given us, I swear that’s more than most premier league games! Fantastic support
Jib
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:45 AM
Comment #3James
Fulham have one side that has 5000 allocated
for “neutral support” – it’s a London thing to accomodate tourists who want to take in footy in their visit.
It sure ain’t going to be neutral tomorrow!!!!!!
🙂
Average_Contents
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:47 AM
Comment #4I thought the captaincy and squad numbers were due to be announced today at 9:30am or have I got mixed up.
hibbitt
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:47 AM
Comment #5JamesToon
Craven Cottage only has a 26000 capacity and we got 7000 tickets WOW what a start onward and upward
Spoof
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:51 AM
Comment #6AC
I thought it was 9:30 as well !
lesh
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:52 AM
Comment #7Average
It’s understandable you think 9.30 am was the time of the squad announcement.
But, it’ll be 9.30, Charnley time, which could be any time!
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:54 AM
Comment #8Maybe 9:30pm 😀
clinath@ed
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:57 AM
Comment #9Ron….I have us winning 26 games. Spooky.
martoon
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:58 AM
Comment #10Average_Contents @4 – You’re right that’s what Rafa said last night – nothing on the official site yet – can’t believe a word that Spanish waiter says 🙂
Mr Funk
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:58 AM
Comment #11I wonder if NUFC will go back to the Belgium ProLeague. We were linked with Frank Acheampong earlier on in the transfer window, maybe we could go back for someone else.
Possible options could include:
Moses Simon – like Ahmed Musa
Ayanda Patosi
Leon Bailey (long shot)
These can all play left wing or upfront and could be worth a gamble now that Knockaert is looking less likely.
Ron Knee
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:01 AM
Comment #12clinath
Should do the trick then!
Mr Funk
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:01 AM
Comment #13Lascelles captain
JP...from The Rock
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:02 AM
Comment #14Yeah I woke up thinking..right who’s our number 9 and captain then? Oh well I think our captain will be lascelles and our number 9 will be Mitrovic. I can’t see our new boy Gayle convincing Mitrovic that he should have it when Mitro has been desperate to wear the number 9 shirt before he came to Newcastle, hence the number 45, as he said 4 plus 5 equals 9. I doubt Gayle being the new kid would want to get on Mitro’s bad books and probably accepted it would be Mitro.
clinath@ed
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Comment #15Ron, if we can have all 26 by the end of January I’ll be over the moon mate 😉
Mag52
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Comment #16On the subject of Dummet, he’s first and foremost a defender, and he’s shown himself to be pretty good at that.
He’s still a young guy, and under Rafa can be expected to improve other aspects of his game as might be required.
Let’s build our team from a strong defence. I’d take Dummet as a full back over Janmaat any time.
clinath@ed
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:04 AM
Comment #17Martoon should have had a quick poll last night.
Captain and No 9
Budge123
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:05 AM
Comment #1826 wins to go up?
Excellent. 23 at home only leaves 3 to be picked up away! Easy ?
Pavel is a geordie
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:08 AM
Comment #194:30 today- another player checked in for medical.
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:09 AM
Comment #20I sincerely hope any new signings to come have a bit more flair about them. I think Rafa has now surely done what he felt he needed to do; bringing in a core of solid, unspectacular performers suited to the Championship. (although Clark is more suited to pub league football) As someone rightly said on here the other day, good players are good players, wherever they play. We need a couple more good players. Maybe the sale of Sissoko is the key.
martoon
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:12 AM
Comment #21clinath@ed 17 – Lol – it’s a full time job logging all these predictions 🙂
Jail for Ashley
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:13 AM
Comment #22JT,
There’s a neutral section that we always full.
JP...from The Rock
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:17 AM
Comment #23I bet it will be; Lascelles Captain and Mitrovic number 9.
I want us to go for Knockeart. He is a quick winger, technically sound and tenacious in the takle. If we can’t get him then I hope Rafa brings in a relative unkown quality player from his contacts in Spain (another Ayoze). We need more pace and flair, more natural goalscorers to be certain we will have an easy ride to the promised land again.
JP...from The Rock
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:22 AM
Comment #24That was a repost. Now for my other prediction, Mitro to be our number 9 this season.
JP...from The Rock
Aug 4, 2016 at 10:25 AM
Comment #25I hope the medical is for Knockeart. We need another winger as we really are short of wingers. We need natural width like Townsend used to give us. And we need more than the two we have in Aarons and Ritchie. Inhope I am wrong but I can’t see Aarons playing more than 10 games in a row without a long term injury. We need a good backup player to rotate our wingers and keep them fresh.
stephen1971
Aug 4, 2016 at 9:24 PM
Comment #26i think your right jp, maybe play aarons every other game so he,s not worked too hard and that might prevent further injury, i must say a few times he,s picked up injuries is because i think he,s been brought back too quick, he was pardewed