We looked at the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards’ Twitter communication with Newcastle supporters, and the reporter was pressed on what exact amount Rafa Benitez will be getting this summer in transfer funds.
While we know it’s difficult to identify an exact amount he said he thought it was £50M plus what Rafa can get from player sales this summer.
Now that’s potentially a lot better than last summer when we didn’t have so many players we could sell for decent amounts.
Mbemba is close to signing for Porto for £8M, and maybe we can agree a deal say for £2M to move Matz Sels to Anderlecht.
Aleksandar Mitrovic – will be sold this summer
Rafa will also want to sell Aleksandar Mitrovic, and the price Newcastle put out recently fro him was £20M didn’t seem to put off potential bidders for the Serbian international.
Let’s say we can get £20M for the 23-year-old – then that takes Rafa’s transfer funds up to £80M if we also sell Mbemba and Sels.
While that’s not an enormous amount these days, it’s decent enough, and more than Rafa got last year – like it’s twice what Rafa got to spend last summer.
To be fair it is difficult sometimes to unload players, and the easiest ones to sell this summer seem to be Mbemba, Sels, and Mitro, but Rafa can also sell Jack Colback, Adam Armstrong, Rolando Aarons, and Henri Saivet.
The player he could sell reasonably quickly if he wants to is striker Dwight Gayle, and he’s worth £15M to a Championship club given his propensity for scoring goals in England’s second division.
But we’re not sure if Rafa wants to keep Dwight at the club for next season.
So how much Rafa gets to spend is dependent this summer on selling some players, but we also need to get players off the wage bill.
Rafa and Lee Charnley will have a target they need to reach for the total wage bill for next season.
They need to get players off the wage bill by selling them or loaning them out.
And then it’s a balance of the players coming in (both permanently and on loan) and their wages – which are likely to be high.
So this is a more positive way of looking at Rafa’s transfer funds, and as long as he can sell some players this summer, it may not be that small.
And Rafa has to sell players to help reduce the wage bill in any case.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
30 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Jun 15, 2018 at 12:51 PM
Comment #1What sad news about expat mag, condolences to his family and friends 🙁
OneAlanShearer
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:17 PM
Comment #2Didn’t know him but R.I.P Expat Mag. With Sir Bobby know. Condolences to family and friends.
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:18 PM
Comment #3Ron Knee – no probs.
(Will be travelling to your adopted country tomorrow morning for a fortnight holis – staying at a chateau near Nimes – going to a concert Sunday night at the Roman amphitheatre in Nimes – Texas and Simple Minds – then on Wednesday, same venue, Marilyn Manson – should be interesting).
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:25 PM
Comment #4Average.
I sometimes wonder when folks die whether they had premonitions about the future – then try to be rational -and dismiss it.
About a couple of year ago Expat travelled to the UK. He visitted old mates in the Gateshead area then called in to see me on his way up to Scotland to see the clans/ancestors.
Wonder if he knew it was his last opportunity to bid farewell.
I wonder.
DubaiMicky
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:31 PM
Comment #5Mister Tuff, the former sounds good, the latter gig less so.
DubaiMicky
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:33 PM
Comment #6And Mr Tuff #4, I know what you mean, a good friend of mine who died here a few years back hadn’t spoken to his son for 10+ years, he made peace with him just a few weeks before he died.
Weird one.
Veltman
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:35 PM
Comment #7Very sad news about expat.Initially thought that was someone else.Now I realized he was the same guy from Australia,Mr Tuff’s friend/
family member?Really sad to hear.God bless
and prayers to his family on this Eid holiday.
Ron Knee
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:41 PM
Comment #8MT
Hope the weather’s better in the South-East than in the South-West here!
Tosun A. Wobbler
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:45 PM
Comment #9Mister Tuff. Very sad news about Expat. Deepest condolences to his family. I can honestly say I don’t “know” anybody on the blog but that doesn’t stop a guy forming a kind of bond, and it crosses my mind how many of us are,in fact getting on in years. I’m fairly ancient and I thank every morning I wake up still feeling relatively healthy. Toon supporters ARE special in many and varied ways. Long may it run!!
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:52 PM
Comment #10Seeing that there is not much happening on the NUFC from, and to lighten the tone I thought I would let you folks know some information about Nimes in France. My dubious link is that you all own a pair of jeans.
The French word for from is “de”. So prefixing “de” onto the place name “Nimes” is the origin of the word denim. (ie “from Nimes).
The cloth was originally made in Italy in Genoa – the French word for Genoa is Genes. The word Genes was corrupted over time (probably because the Americans couldn’t spell Genes properly) into the word “jeans”.
American workwear was poor in the 1800’s so a tailor made some work wear using denim and strengthened the pockets with rivets. It caught on and he sold loads.
He then approached the Levi Strauss company who agreed to manufacture the new workwear. They then ordered a whole load of denim from Nimes. The invoice was numbered 501 and this is where the name of the 501 jeans comes from.
JP...from The Rock
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:57 PM
Comment #11Very saddened to hear of Expatmag. My condolences.
Mister Tuff
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:58 PM
Comment #12Ron Knee – before I booked this period I checked the mean June temperatures in the area for the last 10 years. Typically anything from 20 to 30 degrees.
Checked the forecast last night and the temps for the next week are forecast to be anything up to 32 degress with clear skies.
Tosun A. Wobbler
Jun 15, 2018 at 1:58 PM
Comment #13Mr. Tuff…..good gen! Ironic innit, that folks can’t afford a pair of 501s these days. 🙂
RobLeenio
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:02 PM
Comment #14Tosun, mu issue with 501s is not that they’re expensive, but that they, for some inexplicable reason, designed them for people with really skinny arses.
I have the wrong genes for skinny jeans….
Tosun A. Wobbler
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:08 PM
Comment #15Rob…..ditto. If I could get into 501s, I’d look like Oliver Hardy!
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:08 PM
Comment #16About ten years ago I bought half a dozen pairs of 501’s cos they were 60% off. Got em all a size too small, with the idea of shedding a few pounds. I’ve still got them in my closet today, unworn, and now four sizes too small.
Tosun A. Wobbler
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:19 PM
Comment #17Some years ago I lost a couple of stone and charity bagged all my x-large shirts, pants and jumpers.Of course that eventually came back to bite me in the ass, when I mysteriously ballooned back up again. Weird innit.
Nicky the ball tosser
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:21 PM
Comment #18Rob, I’m thinking you’d be better suited to a pair of “Geordie Jeans”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX85QqzrXO0
Ron Knee
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:24 PM
Comment #19MT
Fingers crossed then!
lochinvar
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:43 PM
Comment #20Nicky
Get those 501’s out of the closet and onto eBay.
People pay a fortune for retro Vintage clothing.
lol
lochinvar
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:46 PM
Comment #21Of the players mooted to be leaving:
Colback, Mitro, Mwemba, it looks like all of them failed to follow the Rafa plan for training and playing hence their Exile. Sels may follow but only because he kept dropping the ball or not catching it.
barkel
Jun 15, 2018 at 2:51 PM
Comment #22That’s terribly sad news, condolences from my family to you and yours
rip expat
RobLeenio
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:05 PM
Comment #23Ha Ha Nicky – “nice and tight, especially round the arse….”
Veltman
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:07 PM
Comment #24At the end of the day,what matters is someone’s health or well being.I don’t know expat more than Mr Tuff but I remember him recently saying he has health issues.Most, including me,took it lightly as this is just a forum? Well that may not be the case.I sometimes wish or advice some folks,specially older ones, don’t read or get involved on this blog.His passage striked and left something in my head.It may not be good for some.
Harley
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:08 PM
Comment #25Just read that comments about expat. Been reading his comments for the last 6 or 7 years. Very sad.
hibbit
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:11 PM
Comment #26bobby’s been very quiet these last few days ??
supermac69
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:21 PM
Comment #27RIP EXPAT, may the angels have black and white wings and GOD is a geordie
Tosun A. Wobbler
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:22 PM
Comment #28Hibbitt…thinking the self same thing a couple of hours ago. Last he posted he had a lot going on.
hibbit
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:24 PM
Comment #29just hoping MI5 haven’t nicked him for passing on official secrets
” about a certain farm in the ashington area “
JohnJ
Jun 15, 2018 at 4:16 PM
Comment #30Sad that we lost Expat mag – it’s doubly sad that we haven’t won a prize for him and all the rest of us – I’m in my seventies and aware that the clock is ticking down! I never thought back in ’69 we’d still be waiting……… 🙁