There’s a report in the Express this morning that Newcastle are now odds-on favorites to sign Mo Barrow from Swansea, despite some of the problems there seem to be from other reports this morning.
What is clear is that since we have little or no chance of signing Andros Townsend from Crystal Palace, Newcastle have turned their attention to Barrow as the next in line.
But there are reported to be two problems with the deal – Swansea want an obligation to buy clause in the loan deal and they also want £7M for the player and not the £5M as previously reported.
But bookmakers BetStars now have Newcastle at 4/7 odds-on to sign the player this month on loan.
The 24-year-old has gone down the pecking list at Swansea since Paul Clement arrived at the club as the new manager and Mo seems to have no future in south Wales.
A BetStars spokesman is quoted as saying the following:
“Swansea’s pacey winger Mo Barrow seems to be heading away from the Liberty Stadium.”
“Barrow has moved down the pecking order at the Swans since the arrival of Luciano Narsingh from PSV Eindhoven.”
“So is looking for a move elsewhere with Newcastle emerging as the favorites in the race for his signature.”
“They have been trying to lure Andros Townsend back to Tyneside from Crystal Palace without success so have turned to Barrow to boost their attacking options.”
“This one looks close to being over the line with a move imminent. We’ve priced Mo Barrow to Newcastle at 4/7.”
So there you have it – but we do think Barrow could be a decent signing for us – he has tremendous speed and skill that Rafa could definitely utilize at Newcastle.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
112 comments so far
magspuggy
Jan 26, 2017 at 11:49 AM
Comment #81Ancient.
What good is free advertising if it ain’t on match of the day every week. ?
What have we payed back and when ?
AncientC
Jan 26, 2017 at 11:50 AM
Comment #82From 22/03/2016 – Sky Sports.
Ashley insists they have had a “proper go” this season, after spending upwards of £80m on new players over two transfer windows.
But he told the Mirror: “All I can say is; there is a bank account. When you have emptied it, it’s empty. Don’t come crying to me for more money.
“[There is] virtually nothing left now. They have emptied it. I have virtually nil affect on Newcastle in reality because I only pick the board.”
The club has since been relegated & needed a £33 million loan from Ashley to cover costs. Any money due to the club from player sales is due in installments, and it’s still not known if those installments are factored into paying for the costs of the relegation yet.
So where is this war chest going to come from? Unless Ashley loans the club more money that is.
AncientC
Jan 26, 2017 at 11:54 AM
Comment #83“What good is free advertising if it ain’t on match of the day every week.”
What good is free advertising? It’s advertising that SD don’t have to pay for, saving Ashley’s other business millions – a revenue stream that could be growing NUFC.
Newcastle paid back £11 million of the debts Ashley accrued.
Jib
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:00 PM
Comment #84Wijnaldum £25m
Sissoko £30m
Janmaat £7.5m
Cabella £6.3m
Cissé £5m
were all cash up front
Nearly £75m
(you can see it in the clubs cash in hand in the company records)
Townsend’s £13m was mostly offset by Gayle’s £10m
magspuggy
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:01 PM
Comment #85So where is the eighty million we spent now ?
We know Ashley hasn’t took it he’s just gave us another 33.
Even without sports direct what about wonga etc do we not earn from them ?
Minus wages and running costs does the club not profit every home game.
Where does it all go ?
magspuggy
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:01 PM
Comment #86So where is the eighty million we spent now ?
We know Ashley hasn’t took it he’s just gave us another 33.
Even without sports direct what about wonga etc do we not earn from them ?
Minus wages and running costs does the club not profit every home game.
Where does it all go ?
lesh
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:01 PM
Comment #87Jimmysmith
Unless last window’s outgoing transfers were paid for in cash, up front, the ‘profit’ of £35m is not there to spend now. The cash accrues as and when it’s paid to the club.
expatmag
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:02 PM
Comment #88ANCIENT
Depending on the price Ashley eventually sells the club will factor in how much of the debt he us willing to write off surely
WWSBRD
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:04 PM
Comment #89mags
If the clubs making a profit why did Ashley have to put 33 mill in last month to cover costs?
expatmag
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:05 PM
Comment #90JIB
Cobblers.
Firstly Cisse was sold for 2.5 mill not 5
The Sissoko transfer was definitely NOT money up front but structured over a 5 year period.
jimmysmith
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:05 PM
Comment #91Ancient, that quote was made almost a year ago after we had spent all that money. Since then monies will have been coming in, and will continue to come in, and Ashley has also topped up the coffers. You suggest this is to keep the club running. I think its as likely to also provide funds for transfers if needed now, and to cover a shortfall until outstanding money is received, and that by the end of the season should we be promoted significant money, 50 million or more, will be made available to Benitez to reshape the squad, some of it through further sales, but the majority from past sales, even if Ashley has to top up the coffers again, which he has shown the willingness to do more than once before.
expatmag
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:07 PM
Comment #92MAGS
A combination of staff salary costs and opersting expenditure.
It costs money to run the ground and tesining centres as well as paying all ciaches other players and club staff.
jimmysmith
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:07 PM
Comment #93Lesh, the point is it’s coming in.
AncientC
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:08 PM
Comment #94expatmag: I am not sure on that one, I would have expected Ashley to sell the club with the debt.
Macas
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:08 PM
Comment #95I have to agree with Jimmy here, Rafa will have a decent amount of money to spend in the Summer. I’m not talking megabucks, but there will be funds available for him. Ashley is getting stick for not signing players and looking for loans at the moment, but I am sure Rafa will be of the same mind. They obviously realize the likes of Barrow is not what we would be after if we get promoted, so why waste the cash.
magspuggy
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:09 PM
Comment #96Wwsbrd.
Prem wages for championship?
Its sure not lost at the front gate on Saturdays is it.
Maybe to leave the money in the squad pot available.
That would be nice as there’s got to be money
Or somebody needs sacked.
magspuggy
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:09 PM
Comment #97Wwsbrd.
Prem wages for championship?
Its sure not lost at the front gate on Saturdays is it.
Maybe to leave the money in the squad pot available.
That would be nice as there’s got to be money
Or somebody needs sacked.
expatmag
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:10 PM
Comment #98Ancient
Hence the ridiculous asking price a few years ago of 350 milloon which frightened off the Qatari mob who ultimately bought Man City
expatmag
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:11 PM
Comment #99MACAS
What would you think will be a decent budget to spend in the summer then?
WWSBRD
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:13 PM
Comment #100mags
So the club is making money because Ashley is paying the wages with his 33 mill? Is that what u mean?
AncientC
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:14 PM
Comment #101jimmysmith, that is not how the club operated the last time it was relegated and came back up. The club was in the PL for six seasons before it engaged in a net spend. It shouldn’t take that long this time around with the TV money, but other clubs have got stronger in the season we have gone down. There is more money in the game, but it’s going to cost more to compete at the top.
WWSBRD
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:16 PM
Comment #102http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/business-news/newcastle-united-given-33m-loan-12418423
The loan was to cover costs
toonincheek
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:18 PM
Comment #103We must be 95% assured of promotion.
Hard to believe with the players and manager we have that
things could go so wrong that we don’t make it.
So – the priority MUST BE next year. We don’t want to
commit to signing any players that will become excess
baggage in the PL.
Therefore, loans make sense.
I don’t get the interest in Barrow, unless we have decided
that Atsu is a non-starter.
Or – have I got it wrong – is Atsu a loan only – NO OPTION to buy?
Have we decided AGAINST signing Atsu?
He seems to be doing pretty well at AFCOM – MoM in first game.
Surely we would not want both Atsu AND Barrow?
There MAY be an element of Barrow falling out of favour
with the manager, but surely if he was top half PL quality,
he would be playing in Swansea’s first team?
magspuggy
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:19 PM
Comment #104I would be surprised if 33 million covered the loss from not being in the prem.
It’s just to keep the books balanced and to leave what’s available for the squad .
jimmysmith
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:20 PM
Comment #105Ancient, do you imagine Rafa signed up for another go at what Ashley attempted the last time? You must also remember that Rafa has done very well in the transfer market for us. You think that Ashley will deny him the monies he has generated and will generate through sales? I had the feeling the shoe was on the other foot.
expatmag
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:22 PM
Comment #106MAGDPUGGY
Forget about last season. It has gone. The money we received from the PL was used up. Ashley gas freely admitted the cupboard imwas bare.
Fast track to this season.
We are no longer in the PL therefore we have missed out on the TV money and the subsequent increase too.
We get a parachute payment of 40 million pounds plus an incidental amount for appearing in the championship.
Our salary costs are still premiership standard up near the 65 to 70 million mark.
We make a profit of 30 million pounds in transfer teansactions but we havent received all fees in cash as most are instalments.
Ashley doesnt deal in instalments but in cash up front for expenditure.
We ae still paying substantial salary costs for playrrs on loan elsewhete.
Due to the severe reduction in income and revenue, we would be operating at a loss uf it were not for the loan by Ashley.
It is also entirely probable that the 31 millon orofit on transfer transactions was further eroded by agents fees and player lotalty bonuses.
Macas
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:23 PM
Comment #107Expat
I think there will be anything from £30 – £50 million to spend.
In my opinion we need quite a few higher quality players, as there are a fair few playing now I don’t think will be good enough to start next season if we go up.
TyneMouth
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:23 PM
Comment #108Roll on next Tuesday, at 11.00pm when all this transfer ‘non-news’ will be over!
Charley lists 36 players linked to our club, I have yet to read a single bona-fide quote by a senior executive of NUFC regarding a single one of these players.
As a matter of fact, there has been a vacuum of reaction from the so-called target players, their representatives, and most importantly their clubs. This is unusual in the age of Twitter, Facebook, et all.
‘Gossip abhors a vacuum’ to turn a phrase. In the absence of real news, we have speculation and gossip, so called alt-news.
There have been numerous posts on this blog expressing concerns about the financial wellbeing of the club. NUFC is a privately owned business, a single owner with no shareholders. Ashley has no obligation to be financially transparent, other than to the tax authorities.
Ashley’s stewardship of NUFC over the last seven years has been little less than a disaster. His previous behavior should never be forgotten, or forgiven.
However, over the last 6/7 months he has kept his head down and allowed Rafa space and authority to mould the team, and more importantly, the club, into a modern professional institution. The fact that Rafa is happy with this situation should be conclusive evidence that we heading in the right direction.
When this mickey mouse transfer window is closed I will be very surprised is Rafa talks of ‘failing to get XYZ over the line’ or any other clichés or Pardew-speak platitudes.
Rafa is more likely to give a vote of confidence to his team, and possibly a ‘once more to the breach’ type rallying call. After all he is The Manager…
Essex Geordie Bill
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:24 PM
Comment #109Ao from what I’ve read over the past few years, no one has any idea of the state of NUFCs finances!!! 🙂
welshgeordie9
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:27 PM
Comment #110If we are trying to get Townsend back then we might as well and try and get sissoko back on loan.
toonincheek
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:32 PM
Comment #111welsh –
I assume @110 is meant to be ironic.
Alternatively, you could be playing at being a WUM.
magspuggy
Jan 26, 2017 at 12:34 PM
Comment #112Expat.
So you really do think we are down to our last giro .
Might as well turn the lights off now to save on the meter eh
I hope you are wrong buddy as I believe we are on the up and up and will be challenging for a top six place and a cup run under rafa after a couple of years.
That needs the club to be ran correctly across the board and wont come cheap and wont come from a blank check from Ashley