We have to understand that for whatever reason – maybe being down below for a season – Newcastle has very little money to spend, and both Rafa Benitez and Lee Charnley are working together closely trying to get the best possible squad together before the end of the month.
And it looks like one of our targets – Joselu of Stoke – is very close to moving to Newcastle with the news in the Stoke Sentinel that he has just passed his medical at Newcastle.
Stoke fans seem to think Joselu is a good player, so we have to get behind these new players in what is going to be a testing season back in the Premier League.
But knowing Rafa’s ability to bring in good players we have a feeling Joselu will be much more mobile than Daryl Murphy – who didn’t have much trouble scoring goals with Rafa’s system last season.
Let’s get right behind Rafa and the players – as Rafa asked us in his press conference on Friday.
Call us stupid (what again?) but we still think we can finish in the top half of the Premier league this season.
We gave Spurs all they could handle yesterday before Jonjo’s madness.
Here are some tweets about Joselu from the Geordie fans.
Yous all called Ciaran Clark shit (including me) and he surprised us all so give Joselu a chance ey boiz #NUFC
— Ryan (@senorlamb_) August 14, 2017
I won’t b surprised Rafa has joselu ahead of Mitro in the pecking order. A physical fwd who is more mobile and skillful on the ball #nufc
— bobby martins (@BobbyGoa) August 14, 2017
Surely there’s a decent song to made for Joselu. #NUFC
— MM (@LeafySeaDragon_) August 14, 2017
Funny looking at the people commenting on Joselu.Stoke fans seem to be positive he was a decent player but toon fans think he’s dump ? #nufc
— Milky (@milkman_nufc) August 14, 2017
Joselu will be signing from Stoke City from Newcastle for £6,000,000 in the next 24 hours #SCFC #NUFC
— Michael Warrington (@MJWarrington) August 14, 2017
Interesting signing for £5m. How many times have we slated players before they’ve kicked a ball for us, but became well-liked? #NUFC ?
— Cliffy (@cliffy_83) August 14, 2017
Stoke fans seemingly disappointed to lose Joselu, yet some of our fans think he’s a “shite” signing? Get behind him maybe? #nufc
— Wayne Roberts (@WayneRoberts_87) August 14, 2017
Lazaar and Gamez were Rafa’s signings so he has to take some blame. Don’t see further incomings after Joselu and Kenedy for #NUFC as such
— Matthew M (@matts_mo) August 14, 2017
Never got a chance at Stoke, he’s had a good pre season, reckon he will do the business #nufc
— Hitmanherbert (@h1tmanherbert) August 14, 2017
#NUFC have a worse squad than we had when we were relegated & now we’re signing Joselu? 4 goals for Stoke since 2015. Rock bottom..literally
— Alexander Woolf (@woolfalexander) August 14, 2017
Alexander – try to look on the bright side – if possible.
“We need a striker”! #NUFC buys a striker, “He’s not cost £30m he must be shit!”
No fucking wonder we’re called fickle!! ??
— Rafa (@El_MagoNUFC) August 14, 2017
Stoke fans in meltdown that they are selling Joselu, some of our fans in meltdown because we are signing him… ? #nufc
— Dan (@DanWalker92) August 14, 2017
And finally …..
Looks like someone’s been at Joselu’s Wikipedia page already #NUFC
https://t.co/abqzzvfPxx pic.twitter.com/hP1AMOiN3S— Jamie Broadley (@JJBroadley) August 14, 2017
301 comments so far
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:41 PM
Comment #1Martoon…I am seriously considering changing my TS and the amount of goals he’ll scorer 😉
G
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:44 PM
Comment #2I think as long as the fee is £6M or less, then this signing is win-win in my opinion. He’s an extra option, and if he does turn out to be a flop then at least we haven’t spraffed 50M on him. If he works hard, and gets the odd goal, he gets my vote.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:47 PM
Comment #3Like with Rivi G?
Bianconeri
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:48 PM
Comment #4Welcome to Jose’s Giants 😉
G
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:50 PM
Comment #5Rivi was a gamble that never paid off Jesper. £6M was still considered a lot of money for a player then. Everton have just paid more than that for an academy prospect from us. Seems like nothing by todays standards.
NUFCadon
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:50 PM
Comment #6Fairly pleased with this one. I think like most fans, the disappointment comes in us not getting a proven goal scorer. Think this lad will come in and graft to get a place but he isn’t in my opinion better then what we have, still a welcome addition though. Hopefully someone capable of 15+ goals in the premier league will follow him. Easier said then done though.
SPRINGY
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:53 PM
Comment #7A lot of people need to get the heads round the fact we have no money this season,i read the relegated sides have alot more money then us,because they were in premier, yet we won the championship…just coz hes not 15-20m+, he’s automatically crap,he might be….. but at least let him get his boots dirty before writing him.
Spotlight Kid
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:53 PM
Comment #8Is this simply forward thinking from Rafa, as he finally succumbs to Ashley’s yo-yo club vision and assembles a Championship squad ahead of the 2018-19 season? Will Rafa really stick around for those eye catching Tuesday nighters against PNE, Burton Albion et al? Did Rafa actually read the small print in his contract? Tune in next week – same time, same place…
Hail Wor Ashley
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:53 PM
Comment #9My reaction to this signing is more of hope than expectation. 27 and hasn’t established himself anywhere.
beermonkey
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:54 PM
Comment #10so is this a cheaper version of mitro
so we can flog mitro and buy a proper striker
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:55 PM
Comment #11No one has seen him play hibbit…he was on the bench a lot!
hibbit…you can take the moneyball approach with a player and even analyse the player’s stat and get a pretty good picture of what we are buying…and what we are not buying!
Then you can look at our needs and then compare…
We are not just looking at numbers but at someone who will bring goals. Is Joselu really that different from Mitro in their game? Is Mitro then obsolete?
Joselu has had trouble fitting in at club and moved on a lot…never reallly delivered!
Ciaran
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:56 PM
Comment #12I have absolutely zero opinion on this guy. Seen nothing of him but his goals tally leaves a lot to be desired and Stoke fans seem to think whilst he’s technically sound is a bit ‘yellow’ when it comes to getting stuck in.
Not adverse to getting good players in on the cheap, but I’d echo Jesper’s concerns that this guy is a signing akin to Riviere as opposed to the 15+ striker we need right now. 100% willing to give the guy a chance but I’d still be looking for another striker (i.e. Perez) to compliment him.
Jib
Aug 14, 2017 at 3:57 PM
Comment #13Jesper you said the same crap last year about Dwight Gayle.
Stick to what you know best
Revolving captains
Ha ha ha
😀
Fostino
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:01 PM
Comment #14A sign of the club’s ambition. A poor season with deportivo last year. Great.
AncientC
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:04 PM
Comment #15I cannot find out anything about how much Joselu earns per week. I found out that the average weekly pay for a Stoke player is £36,000 a week, and Joselu is on the fringes of the team, so around £30k a week or less. He could be an absolute bargain at that.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:08 PM
Comment #16Just because you think this signing is so underwhelming doesn’t mean you don’t want him to succeed…when we appointed MaClaren I said it was such a poor choice and I wouldn’t hear the end of it…
It just was a poor judgement call…maybe Rafa is frustrated he cannot even get his 5th choice and just need a striker he can afford. Maybe he’s just planing on keeping in this season and then move in on like some of the players he bought last season…I don’t know!
I just think this is a poor signing…maybe Rafa wants to move Mitro on a free up some money for Perez? I don’t know!
DarloMag_0773
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:09 PM
Comment #17He has had a decent pre season let’s give him a chance??? My problem with
DarloMag_0773
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:09 PM
Comment #18With this business is this guy any better thanMitro???
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:11 PM
Comment #19Jib…lets see if Gayle will be any good in the PL shall we mate…
…and it’s rotating the captaincy you dummy! At some point you gonna have to get that right???
Revolving…jesus
toon kk
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:13 PM
Comment #20Welcome to Newcastle Joselu . I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s all about.
Hibbitt from previous,
I haven’t seen him play no, that’s why I say I’m happy to give him a chance, he may turn out to be a very good signing.
Only thing putting me off is how out of favour he is at Stoke, not a club like Chelsea for example, also not known as a prolific goal scorer, something we need to keep us away from the relegation zone.
bladeuser
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:13 PM
Comment #21Anybody trying to put a good spin on this lis either loopy overly optimistic or as I suspect have thier black and white glasses on and dont come out with crap that we haven’t got the money there is 2 weeks to go before deadline day some of the deadwood should have been off loaded and the cash fro that together what is brought in should have been spent on Perez if he wanted to come and I am sure there is another 20 mil to spend
But no wasted on another second rate striker who couldn’t even get ahead of Peter crouch
Even I would rather start with mitro and wait
ASH OUT
SPRINGY
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:14 PM
Comment #22I think the only chance we have of gettin perez is a loan at the end of the transfer window with an obligation to buy him at a set price if we stay up….until then arsenal will be hoping yo sell him out right
hibbit
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:17 PM
Comment #23Rafa
must have had conversations with his numerous spanish contacts regarding this lad surly he must have the inside track on him
to compare him to Rivi without seeing him play is ridiculous no doubt he’s a gamble but Rafa must think he worth the risk
Phil K
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:19 PM
Comment #24I remember we bought some “useless” baldy French striker in desperation under Glenn Roeder at transfer dedline last minutes. I thought the fans were gonna LYNCH Roeder. His record wasn’t good either
But Antoine Siebierski did a commendable job and won the fans over, and they were sorry to see him go
dazza
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:20 PM
Comment #25I’m actually pretty optimistic with this signing…
Has undoubted quality (signed by Real Madrid).
Scores some screamers and provides much needed height up front.
Has had injury problems but I can see a cult hero in the making, hopefully our Geordie Michu.
Can you imagine if we had paid 24M for Fatty Berahino instead?
hibbit
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:20 PM
Comment #26bladeuser
you seen him ???????????
hibbit
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:23 PM
Comment #27play ???????
AncientC
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:23 PM
Comment #28Mark Hughes wouldn’t know what to do with an intelligent player like Joselu. After Hughes’ stint at QPR, I think it is fair to say he is no judge of a player.
Ciaran
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:25 PM
Comment #29The only thing keeping us from calling for Ashley’s head is having Rafa as manager. Our recruitment this summer has mirrored our recruitment of previous summer transfer windows – short of quality, short of numbers, bargain basement signings. Nothing has changed except that Ashley has tried to con a manager who will not be conned – and even that has happened before!
The contract Ashley has Rafa tied into is much more airtight than the one Keegan had which could be a factor behind Rafa staying. Love of our club (unlikely) or a desire to build an exciting project (perhaps) could be other factors keeping Rafa here.
Rest assured, Rafa is not as in charge of recruitment as some would have you believe and sooner or later – unless things change – the wheels are going to come off and he’ll walk. And if he does, looking at our squad, are we much stronger than when we got relegated? Furthermore, have we sufficiently closed the gap on the “best of the rest” (i.e. West Brom, Swansea, Southampton, West Ham et al.) personally I really don’t think so.
Which is all the more reason we need to keep a hold of Rafa and the best way of doing that is to bloody back him in the transfer market!
nufcursed
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:25 PM
Comment #30guys calm down!
I’d rather have Joselu for 5m than Lucas Perez for 12m!
And Mitrovic will be better this season than we all think! Can’t believe most people here think Gayle is a better player than Mitro.. Maybe in the Championship but Gayle ain’t good enough for the PL.
toon kk
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:27 PM
Comment #31Perez heading to Deportivo according to ssn, deal getting closer at least.
I don’t think we could afford him, end of.
Ron Knee
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:30 PM
Comment #32If he can get us some critical goals like D. Murphy then fine. If …!
Obertans_on_roids
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:31 PM
Comment #33That’s a reality check.
bettyswallocks
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:34 PM
Comment #34Jesper…….. I remember a while back you slating Jamie Sterry as a no hoper who would never get anywhere near the first team. You hadn’t seen him play either as it seems a very rare occurrence that you watch a match in its entirety if it all.
You really should be a little more open minded and generous when evaluating our players I.m.h.o.
toon kk
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:37 PM
Comment #35Nufccursed
Would you rather have Joselu because he’s cheaper than Perez or that you think he’s a better player???.
Munster Mag
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:38 PM
Comment #36Not a signing to set the heart on fire especially as a stoke journo said he needs a physical presence with him up front! At 6ft 3! For some reason I’m optimistic though. Rafa being Spanish will help. Let’s get kenedy now but can’t see any more after that
toontaff2
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:39 PM
Comment #37Lucas Perez may not even want to stay in this country.
Who knows if we ever even wanted him?
As Hibbit has pointed out, Rafa will have found out about Joselu from his contacts. Give the guy a chance.
Ciaran
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:40 PM
Comment #38News coming out that Conte has concerns about his squad depth so we may not be getting Kenedy in on loan after all…
The farce continues!
toontaff2
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:41 PM
Comment #39And I spoke to Dummett in the RVI after the game and he told me there was a sneaky 50 million striker coming in, under the radar, this week 😆
toon kk
Aug 14, 2017 at 4:41 PM
Comment #40Tbf a lot of quality strikers/strikers are often just as good as the team around them. Without the right service they’ll not score as many.