Rafa Benitez has been talking about transfers again, and he admits that Nice striker Alassane Plea was one of the strikers on his list.
But we didn’t get him and the news was that we bid £20M for him, but Borussia Dortmund got him for £2M more than that.
It looks like £20M is the cut-off point that Mike Ashley will allow for any player this summer.
This is shaping up to be a little like last summer when Newcastle cannot seem to move quickly or efficiently enough to get their top targets in.
Mike Ashley – averse to spending money
And Rafa has talked about that again today – as he did last summer – that we must be a lot quicker and move early for players.
Here’s what the manager has said in the Chronicle when asked about Alassane Plea :
“He was one of the names on the list.”
“We have some inquiries about some of our players and Lee Charnley is working on that.”
“We will see if we have any news in the next few days.” “Obviously, we need to move players if we want to have money to spend on players.”
“It depends on the movements.” “We will see how quick the others can go.”
“Always in the window, you have to do things quickly; if not, you’re losing your targets.”
“And then you go, later on, to players that maybe are not as good as you are expecting in different positions.”
“We will try to sign the right players with the characteristics that we will need for the games.”
“If you go early, you can sign the first or second choice.” “If not, you go deeper and deeper down the list of targets.”
“The fans need to understand these players here are giving everything, so we have to support them.”
“We cannot say ‘oh, he is not good enough’ because sometimes you cannot sign the players you want but the players that are good for you and the squad.”
“At least we are trying to bring professionals that care.”
There was news today that Newcastle are trying to do a loan deal for West Brom striker Salomon Rondon.
So it does look like we have to sell players before there’s any money to bring in players on permanent transfers.
That suggests we could have a net zero transfer window (or close to it) where the only money spent is what we bring in from transfers of our players to other clubs.
What looks almost certain is that once again the net spend will be low.
Comments welcome.
189 comments so far
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 7:24 AM
Comment #161Highlights and Rafa post match interview on SSN
Lindisfarne
Jul 18, 2018 at 7:25 AM
Comment #162Arma, arma, arma, arma, arma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Black, white, and black, white, black, and white
Arma, arma, arma, arma, can score some goals
At Saint James, at Saint James Par-rrk
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Black, white, and black, white, black, and white
Lindisfarne
Jul 18, 2018 at 7:26 AM
Comment #163Off to work, you,ll be glad to hear
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 7:43 AM
Comment #164Lindisfarne
Vodka on cornflakes is never a good idea
martoon
Jul 18, 2018 at 7:51 AM
Comment #165Lindisfarne – don’t give up the day job 😀
Arthur
Jul 18, 2018 at 7:58 AM
Comment #166Kid Jib – stop blocking on someone’s throat.Let him do what he pleases.You did the same thing to c-dog yesterday which is totally inappropriate.If you continue blocking on people’s throat and drive people away,you will end up alone and hopeless.Mark my word.
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 7:58 AM
Comment #167https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-big-interview-meeting-14919822
Nicky the ball tosser
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:02 AM
Comment #168Jail, I think Ashley is one hundred percent about a slow build, in his head, in theory, but in reality, he plays it very tight, and in football that can mean you can occasionally get relegated and have to start again, particularly if you don’t have quality people in key positions making the key decisions and doing things right, which we obviously haven’t had before now. Obviously, Rafa fits the bill. You always need real quality throughout the club from top to bottom, if you run it lean and hope to build incrementally, with each season being better than the last. It’d help appreciably if the owner paid for his advertising and maximised other revenues, but regardless I think he still believes the right leadership can make his model work, and he won’t be changing his approach. He’ll pay Rafa properly, he’ll make some concessions here and there but the model essentially won’t change. I think the bigger question by far is whether Rafa thinks he can make it work because Ashley won’t give him an over draught. Big club though, Rafa might still fancy it.
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:08 AM
Comment #169Matty man it’s a friendly Ha ha ha
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:11 AM
Comment #170Arthur clearly cannot see humour
Must be a language thing
hibbit
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:17 AM
Comment #171Nicky the ball tosser
and what if Rafa doesn’t fancy it where does that leave us ?????
ilovetoon8788
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:19 AM
Comment #172I see us dropping down to the championship this season. Last season was a gamble which succeeded.
Looking at how clubs around us have strengthened, sorry. This time, we go down.
DaveD1000
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:23 AM
Comment #173Jib 168
That makes depressing reading man
TomaKaThor
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:25 AM
Comment #174Seen as Everton are now plonking another £30 million on Malcom, how the mighty have fallen all these teams who are not only out spending us they are total eclipsing us on just one player… Why can’t Mike Ashley just sell for a freaking reasonable price… He is rich enough… Simply put he doesnt want to sell because he is finding it easier and easier to bleed the club each year without explanation.
Nicky the ball tosser
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:27 AM
Comment #175Ashley will just get another manager in, and ride out the storm if it comes to that. I desperately hope Rafa stays and I think he can make it work, but for sure he will be seriously weighing up his options. Thing is though if he does go at the end of his contract, he’ll be going just as things are looking that bit better again, and that might sway him to stick with us. He could have the job for twenty years if he wanted it, and could achieve an awful lot, at a truly great football club, even under this owner.
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:31 AM
Comment #176ilovetoon8788
I see us dropping down to the championship this season
Of course you do
My view is we have strengthened a squad which
finished 10th.
A squad which has a few young players who improve
virtually every month.
Ashley doesn’t do marqué signings.
anthc
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:39 AM
Comment #177We will never improve under Ashley who has no intention of pumping any money in. Our squad isn’t great and over achieved last season imo. having to sell to generate funds is ridiculous as a lot of our squad are championship level.
I’ve chucked my season ticket until Ashley has gone. I know everyone dosen’t agree with that and should support the team etc, but this man is raking it in and isn’t investing in the squad. The majority of my family and friends were very optimistic that he would spend some cash, I was the only one who disagreed and now look where we are. Sell out crowds (big price increases this season) each game just about, tv,sponsor money etc and we’re told we can’t compete with the likes of Huddersfield, Bournemouth etc. It’s nothing short of a disgrace, even newly promoted teams are out spending us!!
I’ll not be back until he’s gone and I’ll take the stick but just remember as long as things go smooth and he counts the money he’ll never leave.
Lindisfarne
Jul 18, 2018 at 8:52 AM
Comment #178Ashley, Barnes & Charnley – the Three Dimwits!
Spend £80m on Wally McBrolly = relegation
Extract £80m on Rafa = promotion & safety
And yet they dither, dally & make dumb decisions.
hibbit
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:01 AM
Comment #179Jib
where exactly have we strengthen the squad ???
the way i see it so far at best we are just treading water,
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:07 AM
Comment #180Hibbit
I didn’t say we’d strengthened a lot
but
Ki is better than Merino imho
We have Kenedy for a full season
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:09 AM
Comment #181as someone said after the friendly
Munster I think
“if Shelvey gets injured we are cattled”
Ki helps that situation.
Bambams
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:12 AM
Comment #182Has anyone seen this from our preferred media source
(Apologies if this has been posted in last few threads)
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/07/newcastle-united-offered-rafa-benitez-out-on-loan-report/&ved=0ahUKEwiksrzWmajcAhXlD8AKHfUOA08QxfQBCCIwAQ&usg=AOvVaw2k3Wi0HZM41bB6LUNPS0cB
hibbit
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:13 AM
Comment #183Jib
splitting hairs there jib treading water at best,
with the clubs around us all improving there squads it’s going to be a long hard season unless Rafa gets some reinforcements in soon
ShirebrookToon
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:14 AM
Comment #184Jib
Longstaff is worth a shout aswell, going on last nights performance. Kids only gonna improve under Rafa
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:20 AM
Comment #185Bambams
I saw that from the crock of shit known as the Mag
Spain get desperate just before the world cup
They fone a few Spanish managers to step into the breach
one of which is Rafa – the club say when asked by the SFA
they wouldn’t stand in Benitez’ way if he wanted to help out.
The Mag say – It was an Ashley plot to make a few extra bob !!!
ffs – The Mag used to be good – it’s just a forum for cranks and arseholes now.
RobLeenio
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:21 AM
Comment #186Presumably the loan of Rafa for the Spain job would have been of benefit to the club because he would have a few weeks to persuade some of their players to join us.
And then Ashley could refuse to pay their wages….
Bambams
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:33 AM
Comment #187Jib
I Just found it strange that the Mirror were reporting on it. The chosen media source of our club.
Whether or not they are onto something or not, if Rafa was concentrating on Spain he would not be as busy looking for new targets to sign.
I suppose we will know better at the end of the window to see if Ash backs our manager – or not.
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:34 AM
Comment #188Stills from the game
Jib
Jul 18, 2018 at 9:39 AM
Comment #189Bambams
The Mirror reported on something that didn’t happen
The goons at the Mag chose to put their predictable spin on it.
They are really starting to look very foolish
what am I saying “starting” they’ve looked foolish for years ?