There was a recent claim that Newcastle were not looking to bring Jetro Willems back this summer. The 27-year-old will become a free agent after his deal at Frankfurt expires later this month.
However, a left-back may not be on the docket this summer at St. James’ Park. If Matt Ritchie remains a Magpie, then that would give Bruce two excellent options at left wing-back with the 31-year-old battling it out with Jamal Lewis.
While Ritchie will turn 32 in September, he was outstanding in our final 9 matches where our season was turned around. So having his passion and leadership around for at least another season would be a popular outcome.
If Ritchie does end up moving, as he almost did in January to his former club Bournemouth, then left-back comes into play as a priority position. Though, we’ll likely have a replacement already brought in before a move away for Ritchie would be sanctioned.
Willems would be welcomed back with open arms. However, he’s not kicked a ball competitively since suffering his knee injury in January of 2020. Due to stringent post-Brexit transfer rules, the Dutchman could find it difficult to acquire a work permit.
Newcastle should have targets identified for the different scenarios that could play out this summer. That’s where a report from L’Equipe becomes intriguing. Get French Football News is citing a claim from the French outlet that Brest left-back Romain Perraud (pictured above) is being tracked by the Magpies.
The 23-year-old is coming off a stellar season for Brest, who just avoided relegation from Ligue 1 with a 17th place finish. The former Nice Academy product had 3 goals while providing 7 assists in 36 appearances.
In January of this year, he signed a new contract to 2025 which gives Brest some security should any club come knocking. According to L’Equipe, Newcastle, Leeds, and Southampton are all very interested in Perraud with the Saints reportedly leading the chase.
The problem for Newcastle is Perraud would cost a significant fee in the £8-12m range. Even if Newcastle sell Ritchie, the fee brought in would likely cover less than half of that amount.
With such a limited budget this summer, Newcastle will have to get creative to bring in any quality signings. It may also serve the club well to retain as many players as possible for at least next season.
Based on the following departure list published by the Premier League, that could be what Newcastle have decided to do. According to this list, the only senior players who won’t be retained are Andy Carroll, Christian Atsu, and Henri Saivet.
While it’s not official, Newcastle may be keeping Federico Fernandez and Dwight Gayle around next season. Both players are on contracts that expire at the end of the month while it’s been reported that Paul Dummett and Fabian Schar both have had year-long extensions triggered.
It could be another conservative window for Newcastle with the only hope of change coming by way of a successful resurrection of the Saudi-backed takeover. Though Mike Ashley’s pending dual legal battles could extend well into next season.
However, a source within St. James’ Park has revealed that our want-away owner remains convinced he’ll be vindicated in his attempt to get the takeover resurrected and even completed this summer. That is at least what Ken Lawrence claims in an exclusive in the The Sun.
In his report, Lawrence has published the following quote from a ‘source inside the club’:
“Mike Ashley is certain he’ll win his case.
“He has told the consortium to have their money ready to complete in a month.”
Hope springs eternal though after what we suffered through last summer, our optimism remains quite low. We’ll hopefully find out more in the coming weeks with Ashley’s anti-competition case against the league scheduled to get underway next Friday.
395 comments so far
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:33 PM
Comment #281Good job he wants to this time jail 🙂
WWSBRD
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:34 PM
Comment #282This is the blog I remember haha
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:35 PM
Comment #283https://youtu.be/T9J4vEVDr5w
Wor B
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:38 PM
Comment #284OP
My takeover anthem…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHcBtOmE4p8
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:43 PM
Comment #285https://youtu.be/AV00cT5qWEQ
magicmac54
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:44 PM
Comment #286Optimistic
Prime My theme tune and choice about the takeover fella
https://youtu.be/l9N7GSUpQq4
chancel be a fine thing
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:46 PM
Comment #287OP,
Another takeover anthem:
https://youtu.be/pmUKmW4BYXM
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:46 PM
Comment #288So many to choose from 😀
Wor B
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:48 PM
Comment #289There’s an echo in here!!!
😆
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:48 PM
Comment #290Wor
Would seem that way 😉
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:49 PM
Comment #291https://youtu.be/8fI7zm7RXHs
magicmac54
Jun 5, 2021 at 9:57 PM
Comment #292https://youtu.be/8iiUDKPADiQ
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:07 PM
Comment #293Good read
https://mobile.twitter.com/Geordie2302/status/1401280567648288772
22 one for you this
toon22
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:11 PM
Comment #294Mund
Cheers
Read most of it
Didnt change a single thing im afraid
Just not havin the cobblers any more
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:17 PM
Comment #29522
It’s not to change you’re opinion mate just showing you a balanced view with a good bit of info of the goings on right now and what will entail.
Scythe For Bruce
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:19 PM
Comment #296Rom
Glad someone agrees with me about the heat. 99% of people look at me like I’m from another planet when I moan about the heat!
Last time we were at SJP it was Xmas time and we sat pretty high up. I was Baltic and I was loving it. The missus? Not so much. That’s what hot chocolate is for though 🙂
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:19 PM
Comment #29722
Forget Ashley mate.
Right now there is a process in place to prove separation. That is a fact and that will happen soon.
Ashley doesn’t control that outcome or process
It’s down to the legal team
magicmac54
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:20 PM
Comment #298All we can do is hope the dream comes true one day.
https://youtu.be/hc3DSh09rSc
Mister Tuff
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:20 PM
Comment #299This is a bit like the real blog – guess who comes to mind. No prizes.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=five+minute+argument&&view=detail&mid=46E5CF47F5B126AB582946E5CF47F5B126AB5829&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dfive%2Bminute%2Bargument%26FORM%3DHDRSC3
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:22 PM
Comment #300Guess who comes to mind on this one 😉
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WaTRCHbG_IA
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:23 PM
Comment #301Scythe
I think I should have been born an Inuit 🙂
Scythe For Bruce
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:23 PM
Comment #302magicmac54
I’m over in Connecticut these days. Definitely not moving to Florida to retire like most people do over here, that’s for damn sure.
Wife’s last company was based down there and we used to go down for free (flights and accommodation) every summer so everyone could get together. I enjoyed the thunder but not the heat. Glad I don’t have to go back now she’s with a different company 🙂
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:26 PM
Comment #303Scythe
I’m well known for moaning about the heat mate 😀
Scythe For Bruce
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:26 PM
Comment #304Rom – I still casually mention from time to time that we could move to Canada. If a certain person gets back in the White House in four years time then we might seriously consider it.
Missus works remotely so we could move anywhere we like. She’d like to move to England but I’m not sure I want to go back again. We’ll see I suppose!
Scythe For Bruce
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:28 PM
Comment #305Let’s have a lad’s night oot in Reykjavík! And nay shorts! Or shorts!
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:28 PM
Comment #306“Have you got somewhere I can try these on please?” I asked the shop assistant.
“Please pay for your condoms and just leave!” she replied.
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:29 PM
Comment #307If it’s cold , I’m in 😉
Scythe For Bruce
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:31 PM
Comment #308If we only had the transfer money to spend on Willock and nobody else, or not Willock and two or three cheaper players, what would you choose?
Personally I’d pick Willock and nobody else because we know he can do the job whereas cheaper options might be Joelinton-esque (that’s a word now – get Susie Dent telt).
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:33 PM
Comment #309Willock is imperative
magicmac54
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:35 PM
Comment #310Toon22
There is no harm in Mund being positive about the takeover, its just his opinion after all which he is fully entitled to express, just like you ive always been very sceptical about the takeover, none of us know whether it will happen or not in the future, but the one thing we can all agree on is getting rid of Ashley, and without question most of the Newcastle fan base would dearly love the takeover to be approved mate. HWTL
Mund
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:37 PM
Comment #311Sad news today. After years of medical training and hard work, a mate of mine has been struck off after one minor indiscretion. He slept with one of his patients so can no longer work in the profession. What a waste of time and effort. A genuinely nice guy, and a brilliant vet!
Munster Mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:38 PM
Comment #312No jail, he wants to sell us now. Has done for some time. Lack of realistic buyers in last few years, maybe since he came. You scoffed at them yourself.
toon22
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:39 PM
Comment #313magicmac54
Yeh id agree
I simply asked for a bit of meat on the bones so to speak
Its not going to go anywhere any times soon it seems
toon22
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:40 PM
Comment #314Mund
Its a very common theme in that proffession
More than reported it seems
toon22
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:41 PM
Comment #315Ohh
Missed the ” vet ” part
Never mind
Scythe For Bruce
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:43 PM
Comment #316Haha@mund AND toon22
lochinvar
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:44 PM
Comment #317https://youtu.be/djV11Xbc914
A take on the takeover theme
Romford mag
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:44 PM
Comment #318Good night all take care and look after yourselves 🙂
magicmac54
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:45 PM
Comment #319Scythe for
Bruce
Good evening fella always nice to hear from you, i hope you and the family are all doing very well. I see your living in Connecticut now very nice, did you tell me previously you were originally from i think you said North or South Shields?
magicmac54
Jun 5, 2021 at 10:46 PM
Comment #320Romford Mag
Take care Romford nite nite mate sweet dreams.