After we signed Fabian Schar via his release clause from Deportivo for £3M, there is still news that Rafa Benitez wants to bring in Argentine center-back Federico Fernandez.
That could just be the news still being reported even though we now ave four center-backs in place – but of course, we now have Florian Lejeune out of action for at least the rest of this year with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury to his knee.
Rafa wanted to get his former player at Napoli Fernandez on loan for the season but relegated Swansea want to sell the player, and the price tag is £10M.
With Newcastle still short of players who can score goals you would expect that Rafa wants at least two more strikers bought in.
And of course, it helps that we will get £22M initially from Fulham for Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Argentine center-back Federico Fernandez – will cost £10M from the Swans
But we now only have Lascelles, Clark and new boy Fabian Schar to fight it out for the two central defensive positions.
It could be a bit of a problem of either remaining center-back is injured although we do have Paul Dummett and Isaac Hayden who can play in central defense.
But Rafa doesn’t seem to think that way – he likes players to play in their orthodox position and is not a believer in having players out of position.
And of course, Isaac Hayden is itching to move down south to be close to his girlfriend and their baby daughter.
We may be able to get by without Lejeune although exactly how long he will be out is unknown – if it’s severe he could miss the whole season.
If Rafa does bring in another center-back it’s probably because the injury to Florian is severe and he could miss the whole season.
The other reason is if Rafa gets an offer from Leicester City for Jamaal Lascelles that Newcastle can’t refuse – we would need another center-back brought in.
Manchester United want to sign England center-back Harry Maguire who played brilliantly during the World Cup, and the Foxes want a cool £80M for him.
Leicester have been reported to be willing to pay £35M for Jamaal Lascelles as a possible replacement, but we should ask for a minimum of £50M.
But we should really keep the captain at Newcastle.
Harry Maguire is the player we wanted for £12M from Hull last summer, but when his price went up to £17M we backed out – he was too expensive for us.
🙁
You have to think big to become big.
The chances of Jamaal Lascelles leaving Newcastle in the next 11 days have to be minimal – he would be a huge loss for the club.
Comments welcome.
16 comments so far
Toonces
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:09 PM
Comment #1Oh Jail, you and Jib, the blog “Mean Girls” – deciding who is popular and who is not
🙂
Toonces
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:10 PM
Comment #2It hurts to provide Jail any assistance but I will take one for the blog…
🙂
Players that were bought for promotion and moved on:
Hanley – bought and moved
Murphy – bought and moved
Lazaar – bought and loaned
Sels – bought and loaned and now moved on permanently
Of Rafa’s buys for the championship, I’d argue the following were poor
Lazaar – took a punt for 2M, didn’t work out. Now dead weight.
Hanley – never could establish himself over Lascelles and Clark but was in demand by other championship teams so easy to move
Sels – but would argue that we bought a highly regarded keeper, he just didn’t cut it in England. Good transfer on paper (before he played), poor once on the pitch.
These others did the business and were good for us that season:
Atsu, Murphy, Gayle, Hayden, Diame, Ritchie, Clark, Yedlin, Gamez
So I’d say, in all, Rafa’s did pretty well with promotion in mind.
lesh
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:18 PM
Comment #3Ed
We shouldn’t even be thinking of selling Lascelles let alone put a price on him as doing so indicates a willingness to let him go.
‘He’s not for sale’ should be the riposte to any signs of interest whether real or media generated.
9
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:19 PM
Comment #4The chances of our captain leaving in the next 11 days seem alarmingly high to me: once Maguire goes, Leicester will be offering as much money as it takes. £35-£40m I estimate. Rafa completely helpless, the only thing, would Jamaal fancy Leicester over us, oh, I forgot, they can double his wages.
Jib
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:19 PM
Comment #5Toonces
You have to do an audition
😛
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:20 PM
Comment #6Toonces
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:00 PM
Comment #48
It hurts to provide Jail any assistance but I will take one for the blog…
Players that were bought for promotion and moved on:
Hanley – bought and moved
Murphy – bought and moved
Lazaar – bought and loaned
Sels – bought and loaned and now moved on permanently
Of Rafa’s buys for the championship, I’d argue the following were poor
Lazaar – took a punt for 2M, didn’t work out. Now dead weight.
Hanley – never could establish himself over Lascelles and Clark but was in demand by other championship teams so easy to move
Sels – but would argue that we bought a highly regarded keeper, he just didn’t cut it in England. Good transfer on paper (before he played), poor once on the pitch.
These others did the business and were good for us that season:
So I’d say, in all, Rafa’s did pretty well with promotion in mind.
Toonces…I think I’ll respond to that.
So basically the only two players moved on were:
-Hanley
– Murphy
Both players we lost money on and Murphy could just as well had stayed!
On Atsu, Murphy, Gayle, Hayden, Diame, Ritchie, Clark:
Richie was the only real revelation but thankfully Diame seem to have come around…if the latter part of last season is anything to go by.
We might be able to make money off Hayden but the rest might be tough to shift.
This season we have moved on:
-Sels
We lost money on that transfer as well.
Some players have been released.
Lazaar is still here.
Then there’s the deadwood pre-Rafa.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:24 PM
Comment #7We currently have 29 players give and take with the recent transfers.
The backbone of the team are:
-Lascelles
– Shelvey
– Perez
All brought in before Rafa.
Dub might turn out to be important as well and Lejuene was getting back in to shape so a big miss.
Kenedy could turn out to be a great loan player and I don’t really know if what else we have brought in is anything better than what has gone the other way…
Jib
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:26 PM
Comment #8Lee Ryder – Verified account
@lee_ryder
32m ago
Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez hopes to complete signing
of Salomón Rondón in coming days West Bromwich Albion
are ready to part with him.
Dwight Gayle continues to talk to the Baggies
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:26 PM
Comment #9Me
I think if Lascelles goes Rafa will go!!!
Toonces
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:27 PM
Comment #10Jesper – you specifically asked about the championship season and Rafa’s buys.
Some players were bought to do a job. Or are transfers only investments to be judged by increases in their transfer value.
But I agreed already that Hanley and Sels both were poor and that Lazaar is deadwood. So why did you bring them up again?
Murphy would have been better to keep than buying Joselu. Just think Rafa never thought that he’d be stuck having to buy Joselu in the first place. He thought he had the funds to buy much better.
Toonces
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:28 PM
Comment #11Jib – Don’t think for one second there’s any casting couch shenanigans to happen 🙂
Jib
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:31 PM
Comment #12Jesper
So you’ve never heard of
Ritchie
Diame
or Atsu
chicousa
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:33 PM
Comment #13You know who might do a job for West Brom instead of Gayle??? Why Joselu of course! Get it done Lee. 😉
Jib
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:38 PM
Comment #14Jail does the Harvey Weinstein stuff
😀
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:42 PM
Comment #15Toonces…I wouldn’t mind talking about the job each of these players have done if that’s the case…
Usually a players value increases when said player had done a great job…could indicate that was not the case here…
lesh
Jul 29, 2018 at 3:58 PM
Comment #16Jail does the Harvey Weinstein stuff…….
While Jib watches via a hidden camera!