It’s becoming clear that Newcastle just don’t have the money to compete with even mid-table clubs in the Premier League due to us missing out on most of last season’s Premier League money with Newcastle only getting a £40M parachute payment because we were down below.
We don’t know how much money Mike Ashley has made available to Rafa but the reason Newcastle have been more than a little thrifty this summer could be because of that lack of money and having no really big players to sell like we had last year, when Rafa was allowed to use that money as transfer money, but we still made over £31M in profit.
Some outlets are suggesting we have no money because we spent so such on the new players last summer who got us promoted, but that’s simply not true when you make such a huge profit in the transfer window.
28 year-old Benfica playmaker Andreas Samaris
So like Rafa had to do last year and managers always have to do to some extent will be to prioritize which players he spends the money on and there is a report in the Mirror that Rafa is keen to sign the 28 year-old Benfica playmaker Andreas Samaris from Benfica.
Looking back on some reports that were out in mid-June one headline was that Rafa is keen to sign Samaras – so it doesn’t seem we are moving quickly.
But it will soon come time to fish or cut bait and getting a couple of players through the door will definitely help with the momentum.
We read the Chronicle piece today on how their were so many players during the open training session that simply had no futures at Newcastle.
But we have to remember that Lee Charnley and Rafa Benitez did a very good job of moving people out last summer – but this summer we may see a lot of players moving out very late in the window.
Rafa will have to cull the first team squad way before that time and those who have absolute no future at the club like Henri Saivet, Emmanuel Riviere, Grant Hanley, Daryl Murphy and others will be sent to train with the U23 squad sooner rather than later.
That could happen over the weekend, when Rafa announces which players will be going on the training camp to Dublin next week before the first friendly takes place against Hearts at Tynecastle on Friday night – 7:45 pm kickoff.
As for Samaras, we had bid around £14.5M for the Benfica playmaker turned down and the Portuguese club want the full £17.5M in his release clause so that deal could be wrapped up if we can offer say another couple of million – as long as Everton’s interest is not serious.
It’s important to bring players in and move players out at the same time and it looks like Karl Darlow could be moving out soon to either Middlesbrough or Reading – both clubs are very interested in him.
The Chronicle are suggesting today that Rafa will then use the money from Darlow’s transfer to pay Napoli want they want for Pepe Reina which is around £4M.
But that will give us a very experienced, savvy Premier League goalkeeper with great leadership skills – and that seems to be what Rafa thinks Newcastle needs.
So be it.
But it would be good to get Samaras in and it seems obvious the newcastle manager thinks can do a good job on Tyneside.
Newcastle can still get the job done this time around but it looks like it will be slower than last summer and we still need lots of players moved out and at least another five first team players brought into the squad.
Comments welcome.
90 comments so far
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 8, 2017 at 4:59 AM
Comment #81Apologies for the double post…… Fat fingers hitting the wrong buttons
jimmysmith
Jul 8, 2017 at 5:43 AM
Comment #82Lil, the size of the club, wealth of the owner, quality of the coaching and preparation set against the relative ordinariness of the bottom half are entirely relevant when assessing our chances. I am sure we have enough clout all things considered to recruit well enough to compete for a top ten position. It’s hard to imagine Rafa hanging around otherwise or Ashley risking losing him and our epl place with him for want of backing him first season back. I don’t see us finishing 7th, but I can certainly see us doing well and finishing tenth, but yeah we still have some buying to do.
cyprus
Jul 8, 2017 at 5:45 AM
Comment #83Jimmy
I like your optimism.
But I don’t think the current squad can get us anywhere near that.
I also don’t think we’ll stay this way. We will sign players, there’s plenty of money, as was said after the Rafa Ashley meeting. Neither will want to hover in the relegation zone.
My suspicion: Rafa wants to pull the strings. With Carr gone and his hands having been busy with getting us out of the championship, we’ve been set back a month or two. He’ll catch up.
And learn that he can’t do everything.
cyprus
Jul 8, 2017 at 5:47 AM
Comment #84Just saw your last post. It appears we do agree after all. We need serious signings. They will happen.
jimmysmith
Jul 8, 2017 at 5:59 AM
Comment #85Rafa has the leverage to ensure we get a squad that he can guide into the top ten. The club has money and so does the owner, and he’s shown a willingness to loan the club money in the past. It’s not the top third we have to concern ourselves with, it’s the rest and they really aren’t any great shakes. I don’t think 10th is being overly optimistic at all, but yes we do need to bring in 3 or 4 more good players. I suppose it comes down to whether you see that happening.
cyprus
Jul 8, 2017 at 6:08 AM
Comment #86True
Bambams
Jul 8, 2017 at 6:58 AM
Comment #87We are all wondering about the money available and maybe I am clutching at straws, we all know Ash likes a bargain so it got me wondering about his ‘strategy
Maybe we have more expensive targets lined up but Ash or another has suggested we buy the ‘cheaper’ players first rather than sign a £30 million ( hopeful thinking) striker or winger which would alert other selling clubs we have money. They would then probably put the priced up on any of our targets.
Nah…i am probably clutching at straws
Up early in prep for the Rugby !
Come on Lions
Bambams
Jul 8, 2017 at 6:59 AM
Comment #88Priced-prices
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 8, 2017 at 9:46 AM
Comment #89Jimmy,
No arguments that all the ingredients are there to be able to put together a top ten side for this season. So far it isn’t coming together, but there is time and plenty left on the market to give us that level of a squad.
Given the way Everton are strengthening, it would require a minor miracle to make 7th or higher. After that, it is very much an average league that offers a good chance of hitting 8th, that’s why I said I’d be happy with anywhere between 8th and 15th next season. The difference between those places last year was just 5 points, so it is small margins.
I’d say currently our squad, without further additions, is scrapping for between 14th and relegation. It wouldn’t take a lot of signings to lift us into the next bracket, but it requires quality in certain areas with last seasons first choice being required to fill in when required.
We will see what happens, but I’d be happy with staying up comfortably and building again in a year. As I said before though, that will be eyed suspiciously by many due to our past targets near aims.
As for Rafa hanging around, I don’t really think this but just playing devils advocate, his stock was probably as low as it has been since he joined Valencia. If we continue with the same model and approach to transfers as we’ve seen under Ashley, a modicum of relative success here will elevate his standing and reputation again. Pardew was sacked by a league 1 club before he joined us and became viewed as a beacon for Englsh managerial talent. I think Rafa has more integrity than that mind, but you never know.
Phil K
Jul 8, 2017 at 10:49 AM
Comment #90So Ashley lied to Rafa.
Again.
And unsurprisingly we can’t shift the overpaid useless French parasites that was entirely Carr’s fault.
And local reporters are saying the signings of two kids found not good enough for Arsenal and Everton are good enough for here. And Lee Ryder says that “eases our worries” ?????????????????
IT INTENSIFIES OUR WORRIES IDIOT