Former Arsenal striker and BBC pundit Ian Wright believes that Rafa Benitez at Newcastle needs as much as £150M to spend this summer and we don’t think that’s too unreasonable.
That’s if you include in that £150M the money we can get for some players Rafa will want to sell this summer who no longer have a future at Newcastle – and there are quite a few of them, most of whom have been out on loan for the season.
The first one is Florian Thauvin and we will get £10M for him from Marseilles for starters – and we could have got a lot more if the fee wasn’t set last summer.
Ian Wright – BBC pundit
Then there are players like Chancel Mbemba, Grant Hanley, Siem de Jong, Tim Krul, Henri Saivet, Massadio Haidara, Emmanuel Riviere and others who Rafa could sell for reasonable transfer fees in today’s inflated market.
Rafa will meet with owner Mike Ashley this week and it’s more about getting the blueprint (strategy) for the future agreed to between the two men.
But Rafa will also get to know how much money is available to spend, but will likely be told to clear the decks of those players we don’t need any more to reduce the wage bill.
That’s very much what Rafa did last summer when he was building a Championship side.
This is what pundit Ian Wright has told BBC Radio 5 Live:
“Rafa is obviously going to stay now. For Newcastle fans, what do they want now? I’ve not heard Newcastle fans being disgruntled about the owner all season.”
“I don’t think £150M is ridiculous as a budget. When you consider there are players going for £30 million who are only just getting into Premier League teams.”
“£30M is nothing in the current climate – it’s nothing.”
“He’s got to do something. He’s got to get near to those kind of figures. They’re not just prices people are plucking out of the air when they say £150M.”
“We’ve seen Manchester United paying close to £100 million for a player.”
“What’s going to happen is that they have to start paying the kind of wages that will attract people to Newcastle, for a start, and keep them there”
“You’ve got to start to speculate to accumulate.”
Ashley spent nothing in the January transfer window so money should be available and the new financial year starts on July 1st.
And since Rafa should have Newcastle finish in the top half of the table next season the likelihood next May is that we could get upwards of £140M from the Premier League.
Rafa could have some of his figures in his presentation to Mike Ashley this week.
And don’t forget Rafa saved Mike Ashley last summer by agreeing top stay on at the club and the fans didn’t go after the owner this time like they did in 2009.
So in a way Mike owes Rafa for that – big time.
🙂
One thing is almost certain, we will have to smash our transfer record this summer, which is still only £17M when we brought in Michael Owen from Real Madrid 12 years ago.
At that time Rafa Benitez at Liverpool would only pay up to £8M for Owen to take him back to Merseyside, because that’s the fee they sold him to Real Madrid the year before and Rafa wouldn’t pay any more than that.
That’s it – what do you think?
Comments welcome.
81 comments so far
GeordieTwo
May 8, 2017 at 9:46 PM
Comment #41I’m guessing at a 60-70M net spend, including player sales. That probably means 30 or 40M from Ashley. Look for us to battle well in the bottom 10 for the first season.
giimps
May 8, 2017 at 9:52 PM
Comment #42Gotta be borolund, maybe even sundleborough, now that has a ring to it, smogems it is then
Ron Knee
May 8, 2017 at 9:54 PM
Comment #43So only one North-East team in the PL next season!
GeordieTwo
May 8, 2017 at 9:57 PM
Comment #44Ian Wright probably means well, but he doesn’t know Ashley. Ashley will gamble that Rafa is good enough to keep us up with only a modest spend.
ShirebrookToon
May 8, 2017 at 9:57 PM
Comment #45We’ll show them how you swing with the big boys next season 🙂
one fine day
May 8, 2017 at 10:01 PM
Comment #46Anyone got an answer to this ?
We apparently had an option to buy on atsu which appears to have increased up to 6.5 mil .
Yet thauvin we seem contracted to sell at an agreed 10 mil or so .
Would leave open for Marseille to take him and move him on to Italy for a lot more if they choose ?
To me surely we should be able to sell a player for what he is worth at the time of sale to makes the best offer .
Hopefully the Tottenham link to thauvin is just being created by his greedy agent .
ShirebrookToon
May 8, 2017 at 10:04 PM
Comment #47We will al find out soon enough what sort of backing Rafa will won’t get, and wether Ashley has any real ambition. All these figures banded about by various journos, ex footballers, pundits etc is just guess work. Rafa, Mike and Lee. Let’s play nicely now!
AncientC
May 8, 2017 at 10:06 PM
Comment #48“Fabregas and Terry are on the brink of winning the league, why the frig would they want to leave, hang on should we me a bid for Costa and Hazard as well.”
Clearly somebody isn’t aware that Terry isn’t staying with Chelsea next year and Fabregas is surplus to requirements.
G
May 8, 2017 at 10:08 PM
Comment #49Glad to see the Boro drop. Their fans gave me so much venom last year. This is karma as far as I am concerned. Even the mackems showed a bit of grace when we dropped. Most of them even slagged the flying banner idiots. Glad us Toon fans never sink to such depths.
AncientC
May 8, 2017 at 10:08 PM
Comment #50What did Marseille pay for Payet, something like £25 million, and Thauvin is a much better player for them… really puts it into perspective.
AncientC
May 8, 2017 at 10:11 PM
Comment #51one fine day, the Thauvin deal was possibly an obligation to buy which would freeze the price – an option to buy (Atsu) would mean the price could move. I would assume, anyway.
Tsunki
May 8, 2017 at 10:11 PM
Comment #52Would they be called Smoggems?
jimmysmith
May 8, 2017 at 10:13 PM
Comment #53Ashley doesn’t like losing money, but is and has been prepared to stump up, we can take that as a given, and Rafa doesn’t operate on a shoestring budget, we can take that as a given. Benitez needs to have convinced the owner that he will use the money he’s given productively in order to get the backing he wants, which he probably already has by virtue of his achievements this term, and then he’ll need to produce to continue to get it.
Tsunki
May 8, 2017 at 10:13 PM
Comment #54I was wondering if we sold DeJong, wouldn’t we be liable to repay the deposit on his gas bottle?
Jib
May 8, 2017 at 10:14 PM
Comment #55one fine day
Thauvin is one Charnley has to put down to experience.
We contracted with Marseilles that they could have him back on loan and if he played a certain number of games they could have him for €11 million.
Marseilles were dragging their feet so we offered him for sale in Italy whereupon the French club started to select him a sufficient number of times to convert the loan into a sale at the agreed fixed price.
Lo and behold he started playing out of his skin much to all parties surprise.
NUFC were already taking a hit on the deal of about £5million and now look to be losing out even more.
Tsunki
May 8, 2017 at 10:17 PM
Comment #56One could almost put forward a conspiracy theory that Thiamine was getting a cut out of the scam. Bit far fetched but hey…
Tsunki
May 8, 2017 at 10:20 PM
Comment #57Actually Thauvin was given some pretty poor starts in some lacklustre teams in desperate situations, if he had the same opportunities as Sammy, Rolando and a few others had… You don’t know, Y’know.
Jib
May 8, 2017 at 10:24 PM
Comment #58Tsunki
The whole affair was so shambolic it was probably a contributory factor in raising the suspicions of HMRC which resulted in the dawn raid.
jimmysmith
May 8, 2017 at 10:27 PM
Comment #59Yeah, Thauvin is one that got away, but maybe not a Benitez type anyways. Didn’t seem too willing to put himself about. I think putting yourself about and playing to instruction are priorities one and two for Rafa. Very young though, and walked into a mess without realising it.
jimmysmith
May 8, 2017 at 10:33 PM
Comment #60Atsu and Perez were great in that last game. If you’re gonna have a cracker, it’s wise to have it on the final day with plenty to play for. Makes it harder for Rafa to move them on with those performances fresh in mind. Perez I think was safe anyway, but that final run may just have secured Atsu a Newcastle contract.
duncandisorderly
May 8, 2017 at 11:12 PM
Comment #61Colback was another who played a blinder on Sunday
LewSpi v2.0
May 8, 2017 at 11:23 PM
Comment #62To say we definitely need a winger or two, we’ve been linked with very few.
Marcus Coco – Sun on Sunday
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Croydon Advertiser
Bright Osayi-Samuel – HITC
Frank Acheampong – HITC
Moussa Sissoko – CalcioMercato
From the top, a Sunday nonsense story, The Ox looks more reassured at Arsenal now he’s getting a game, two youngens and The Incredinle Sulk.
jimmysmith
May 8, 2017 at 11:34 PM
Comment #63150 million wouldn’t be your best bet perhaps, but it’s on the table I think. Wouldn’t that figure in fact tally with what Ashley had committed to put in over two or three windows when we spent the 80 million under two years ago. Still, I think the net spend will most likely be around 80 again, with more to follow.
ronaldo aarons
May 9, 2017 at 12:13 AM
Comment #64That frank acheampong looked handy against Man Utd like, in both legs. Looked very menacing on the left.
Regarding atsu, something I’ve noticed is the difference in his play from early in the season, through the chunky middle and now the run in. When he first started getting games he was playing quite freely attacking, taking on players, cutting in and shooting like the Rotherham game. Soon after he hardly did this and just kept possession most of the time and now the run in he is back to playing with as if he’s been given more freedom.
Does anyone think he may have been playing to instruction and to keep possession thus keep the control that Benitez has repeatedly mentioned? I’ve seen him for Porto and I’ve seen him a few times for Ghana and the way he has played for us the past few matches is how he played for them teams.
jimmysmith
May 9, 2017 at 3:40 AM
Comment #65Total spend 80, I meant to say. Net spend around 50 I tend to think.
Jib
May 9, 2017 at 6:15 AM
Comment #66Rafa never rests
18 hours after celebrating the Championship title he’s watching the U23’s !
Jib
May 9, 2017 at 6:20 AM
Comment #67New one for vic’s list !
The Sun reporting Toon interest in Yaya Touré
Bambams
May 9, 2017 at 6:35 AM
Comment #68Been thinking about stand out games and I still think the home win against Norwich (who at the time were close to the top I think) when we scored those last minute goals.
It didn’t just give us the confidence but it also knocked all their belief – don’t think they really recovered. One less team challenging us.
El Sleeve
May 9, 2017 at 7:38 AM
Comment #69all these pundits saying we need to spend £150, sorry, we don’t. Alli was £5m, Kante was originally £4m, Eriksen £13m. we just need to be shrewd about it.
El Sleeve
May 9, 2017 at 7:39 AM
Comment #70i will however be very disappointed if we sign James McCarthy for £20m, because we could’ve spent that on 2 or 3 players if we’ve done our scouting right this season
expatmag
May 9, 2017 at 7:43 AM
Comment #71Lots of names being banded about and some people still have downers on our current squad like Dummett and Colback, which is ridiculous.
So, for what it is worth, here is my look on things
OUT
Sels, Krul, Hanley, Haidara, Ameobi, Vukic, Saviet, Thauvin, Gouffran, Diame, Riviere, Gamez, Murphy……We should get around 25 to 30 million quid for that lot.
LOAN OUT
Armstrong, Woodman, Sterry, Findlay, Gibson, Barlaser, Heardman, Longstaff and Mbabu …… with clauses in place for emergency returns
sQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Darlow, Elliott, Woolston
FULL BACKS
Yedlin, Anita, Dummett, Lazaars, NEW LB
CENTRAL DEFENDERS
Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba, NEW CH
WINGERS
Ritchie, Aarons, Atsu (signed permanently) NEW WINGER
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
Hayden, Colback, Shelvey, Perez, DeJong, NEW MIDDIELDER
FORWARDS
Mitrovic, Gayle, 2 NEW FORWARDS
Thst would be 8 new players needed in key areas.
If Rafa has £100 million to spend (£70m plus £30m raised from sales, this is who I would go for.
New CH……Shawcross from Stoke….a leader and solid defender..estimated cost £8m
New LB……Taylor ftom Leeds….on a free but we qould have to lay some compensation..around £3m
Sign Atsu from Chelsea for £6m…..cheap for age and ability
New WINGER…..Gray from Leicester….doesnt like tbeir manager and possibly could be signed for £12m
New Centeal Midfielder…..dont choke on this one but £20m offer to Chelsea for Fabregas plus tbe captaincy might persuade him to come.
2 New forwards
Defoe from Sunderland on a free is a no brainer and as I still have around £50m quid left in my budget, I would offer Celtic half of it for Dembele
So, there you go
New signings
Shawcross
Taylor
Gray
Atsu
Fabregas
Defoe
Dembele.
sing in the corner
May 9, 2017 at 7:52 AM
Comment #72Ronaldo@64
On Atsu..
One thing that was strikingly obvious at the game on Sunday is Atsu will have to work on his off the ball awareness. He looked like a fish out of water when Barnsley came forward down their left. No idea who to pick up, wether to close down, challenge or ‘jockey’. He kept looking back at Yedlin for instructions then not following them.
Great attacking option, but needs to click in with the unit.
Prem wingers / wing backs will destroy us down the left channel if he doesn’t learn. I’m sure we will fix it though!
hibbit
May 9, 2017 at 8:01 AM
Comment #73we all have are wish lists me included
but the one that really matters is Rafa’s
just have a feeling he could surprise us all
expatmag
May 9, 2017 at 8:01 AM
Comment #74SITC
I have no doubts Rafa will know thjs. I like Atsu buf I think the only thing that might orevent gs signing him is if Rada has someone better and more expensive in mind…..like the kad Dries Mertens from Bapoli
expatmag
May 9, 2017 at 8:02 AM
Comment #75Sorry for the spelling mistakes….typing in the dark here
lochinvar
May 9, 2017 at 8:03 AM
Comment #76Good read on The Mag about Villa fans reaction to their game on Sunday , such as ‘One of the best performances I’ve seen this season, I bet the ref must be gutted, he clearly wanted the visitors to win.’ ‘The referee was awful today. Their penalty was harsh, the player had already had his shot saved when Baker made minimal contact. A red and a penalty was extremely harsh. Then Davies gets dragged down at the other end and the ref doesn’t care.
Well said those Villa fans who also spotted some Dalyesque diving by Brighton and god forbid some refereeing inadequacies ( is that what you call them ) this last season.
With Geordie Bruce as agent in charge and actually being a larger club and closer to Newcastle for away matches then all is forgiven for Villa helping us to the Championship title.
They are welcome back next year along with say Fulham ( as we would like Cairney this year ) and even the Boro (or Norwich.)
Sadly for SUFC only three promotion places available. So be it.
We’ll get them in a Cup draw anyway as Sky will fix that for sure.
Think we’ll keep our season tickets and thanks for the discount this seldom Mike, it was stressful but fun nevertheless.
Ed – hope the treatments are going well for you.
Steve Le Sleeve
May 9, 2017 at 8:04 AM
Comment #77so theres probably someone left field we haven’t thought of yet, like Goretzka mentioned earlier, I like the idea of Fabregas. I think the lure of Rafa could capture someone like them.
Outs: Ameobi, Haidara, Gouffran, Lazaar, Hanley, Gamez, Sels, Murphy, Krul?
Ins: Heaton/Pickford, Shawcross/Maguire, Chambers?, Taylor/Robertson, Clucas, Sigurdsson, Townsend, Ramirez/Defoe
expatmag
May 9, 2017 at 8:06 AM
Comment #78How about some swap deals with relefaed teams?
For example…..we will give Hull (if they go down) Diame and Hanley for McGuire and Robertson
Leeds can gave Murphy as compensation for Taylor.
Jib
May 9, 2017 at 8:09 AM
Comment #79Fabregas’ partner had a little boy last month to join his 2 little daughters – he lives in a £9 million kuxury apartment in Belgravia – he gets on really well with Conte – no way he’ll head North and leave his comfort zone.
mindshaft
May 9, 2017 at 8:21 AM
Comment #80Ian Wright talks out his ass, outside of the big four/five nobody is spending that sort of money – Rafa will be lucky to get half that amount
Who could play well in Prem out of our current lot
Elliot / Darlow
Mbemba / Clark
Shelvey / Hayden
Perez / Ritchie
Maybe a few others such as Dummett / Atsu / Yedlin
Rest of them aren’t going to cut the mustard even if we’re targeting lower mid