The transfer window opened today as Newcastle continue to get linked with new targets on almost a daily basis. It’s hard to separate the top targets from those further down the list as so much depends on how other clubs react to our reported interest.
The Chronicle is citing various reports that Swansea captain Matt Grimes has been added to Newcastle’s watchlist. The midfielder is also on the radar of Southampton, who look to be close to sealing a deal for another reported Newcastle target in left-back Romain Perraud.
Grimes is an interesting target for Newcastle. He has loads of experience at the Championship level but hardly any in the Premier League. He made a few appearances when Swansea were in the top flight as an upcoming prospect.
Grimes will turn 26 next month and is in his prime years. He’s been with Swansea since 2015 after joining from Exeter City for around £2m. He initially had loan spells with Blackburn, Leeds, and Northampton before solidifying his place in Swansea’s first team.
The former England U21 international is a complete midfielder who can get forward while fulfilling his defensive duties. He has captained Swansea over the past two seasons and currently has 157 appearances including 50 this past season.
The midfielder is entering the final year of the contract he signed in 2018 when Brighton boss Graham Potter was with Swansea. However, the reports have his price tag at £8m which would seem to be a non-starter for Newcastle.
Steve Bruce has limited funds to work with this summer and will have to wheel and deal in order to strengthen his squad. Any permanent transfers he makes will need to be bargains as he simply cannot afford to waste any money.
Newcastle will hit the free agent and loan markets heavily to offset the lack of funds. Bruce should have plenty of targets identified with Matt Grimes likely a little further down the list at the moment.
There is still news trickling out weekly about the Saudi-backed takeover. Once again, an outlet has claimed that Mike Ashley and all members of the Saudi-backed consortium are confident the takeover will happen this summer.
The latest to make that claim is Football Insider who add that the consortium has Rafa Benitez lined up to replace Bruce should it go through. If it does, and that’s a big ‘if’, the Spaniard will be backed big time with transfer funds.
That is all wishful thinking at the moment as it has been for nearly a year now. The likelihood of this takeover getting resurrected should become clearer over the next few months with Ashley’s anti-competition claim against the Premier League scheduled for Friday.
As it stands, the transfer window is now open and Steve Bruce has limited funds to work with. So we’ll see what transpires over the next few months on both the takeover and transfer fronts.
113 comments so far
geordietom
Jun 9, 2021 at 2:53 PM
Comment #81UEFA Euro 2020 is a football tournament scheduled to take place in June and July 2021 involving 24 men’s national teams from nations affiliated to the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The tournament will be broadcast via television and radio all over the world.
geordietom
Jun 9, 2021 at 2:55 PM
Comment #82Euro 2020 On TV Schedule UK – Live Football On TVhttps://www.live-footballontv.com › euro-2020-on-tv
Live coverage of Euro 2020 on TV in the UK is shared between BBC and ITV with both broadcasters sharing live coverage of the Euro 2020 final on TV
martoon
Jun 9, 2021 at 3:01 PM
Comment #83carltoon @80 – There are certain sporting events that are protected and have to be on terrestrial TV such as the Grand National, FA Cup Final, Boat Race etc. and I believe the Euros and World Cup are part of these so short answer, Yes, the matches are split between BBC & ITV.
carltoon
Jun 9, 2021 at 3:20 PM
Comment #84Tom, MARTOON, thanks, I’ll be watching then,
Mund
Jun 9, 2021 at 3:21 PM
Comment #85carltoon
I imagine it is a lot easier to watch England than our lads 😆
Wor B
Jun 9, 2021 at 3:37 PM
Comment #86Tom
Are you absolutely sure you don’t google?
Not asking for a friend.
😉
Andymax
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:07 PM
Comment #87https://mobile.twitter.com/PAJamieGardner/status/1402639816366374920
Andymax
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:09 PM
Comment #88https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/mike-ashley-newcastle-premier-league-public-investment-fund-premier-b1862675.html
Adamn_92
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:14 PM
Comment #89Sky Bet now making Rafa favourite for next manager with odds at 6/4
geordietom
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:15 PM
Comment #90https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/mike-ashley-newcastle-premier-league-public-investment-fund-premier-b1862675.html
dunno if this has been posted yet
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has drawn encouragement from the Premier League’s decision not to call for Saudi Arabia to be kept on the American government’s piracy watchlist this year.
geordietom
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:20 PM
Comment #91WORB …
NO mate i dont i use opera 😀
Mund
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:23 PM
Comment #92Got shot down for a lot of stuff I’ve said but a lot of that is now starting to line up
Oh and Friday is huge
Adamn_92
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:27 PM
Comment #93To be honest it would be a perfect time for the league to allow the takeover, perfect distraction away from the pathetic ‘punishment’ against the so called top 6.
Mund
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:28 PM
Comment #94The endgame boys and girls 😎
Carson80
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:32 PM
Comment #95#CANS
Am having some anyway.
Adamn that coffee liquor you mentioned earlier is a dream in martini espresso’.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:32 PM
Comment #96Would actually be amazing if the other 14 clubs voted to push the takeover through just to spite the top 6
Adamn_92
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:34 PM
Comment #97Andymax and geordietom, the only slight concern with that news is that the letter was sent in January. So if it was the league basically not being too concerned about the piracy issue anymore, then you would have thought between January and now something may have happened. But since January Ashley took over the CAT case and arbitration is still happening, if he was that confident and the league were more relaxed about piracy in January, why keep arbitration going and file a CAT case? Maybe it’s the league covering themselves as they know they can’t use piracy for whatever reason if they lose their cases, but it seems odd if the letter was in January and Ashley would only now be confident over it. He must have heard about it or known before now?
Mund
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:34 PM
Comment #98George
@GeorgeYCarney
CS-RBN to Nice (landed 15:42 utc). Ashley G-MATO also in Nice. MBS has a yacht in Monaco, just east of Nice. More private jets have landed in the last few hours. High chance it’s AS. Airplane departure?#nufc #nufctakeover
Adamn_92
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:34 PM
Comment #99Carson,
Ah I was trying to remember who I told about it on the blog before, it was you! Glad you enjoyed it, stuff is amazing whatever you use it in or just straight.
Mund
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:35 PM
Comment #100#CANS!!!
Novocastrian66
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:36 PM
Comment #101EGB; how often have you seen them play? I’ve seen Anderson play once and he has potential. I would play him before Hendricks every day.
I’ve not seen the other lad you mention.
Carson80
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:43 PM
Comment #102Adamn awesome cheers. You had your buttered rum yet eh eh eh.
#CANS, #VODKA #COCKTAILS #
geordietom
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:48 PM
Comment #103prefer cherry brandy my self …
Swlabr
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:48 PM
Comment #104I just got an email from UK Government: Petitions, just because I signed the “Appoint an Independent Regulator by Dec.2021” petition. It’s a fairly stock reply saying there’s been almost 143.000 signatures, and Parliament will debate the petition on the14th June.
Somebody’s probably posted the same thing but just in case…….
Reilly
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:48 PM
Comment #105https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/GMATO
Optimistic prime
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:50 PM
Comment #106Mund
Didn’t Eddison patent the incandescent light bulb?
After he ROBBED it.
Hahaha, bit like when divers get upsets when you say “flippers”
“Nah, THEYRE FINS”
No mate, fish have fins, mammals have “FLIPPERS”
Potato tomato but facts are facts 😉
Adamn_92
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:51 PM
Comment #107Someone on twitter just made a good point too. Why do they all need to meet in one location? They can video call, audio call, e-mail or any other alternative method. Especially as travelling is still a bit of a taboo thing at the moment and I imagine they’re all very busy people. Why would they need to all meet in person to discuss anything? Not saying that they wouldn’t do it, just that there isn’t any need to and seems like a lot more effort considering it must be hard to find a time they’re all free to travel to the same location.
Mund
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:52 PM
Comment #108Adam
I’d stop trying to figure out billionaires if I was you
Carson80
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:53 PM
Comment #109GeordieTom so do l, only thing I can’t drink is whiskey unless it’s in a cocktail.
#all alcohol.
Come on Ashley just sell the club behind the Premier leagues back, you’ll only get a £3.6 million fine.
Toon Toon Black and White Army.
Mund
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:53 PM
Comment #110OP
My boss drilled it out of me 😆 when I started I said it al the time and got a few clips so in the end I made sure I said lamp
geordietom
Jun 9, 2021 at 4:58 PM
Comment #111George
@GeorgeYCarney
·
25m
CS-RBN to Nice (landed 15:42 utc). Ashley G-MATO also in Nice. MBS has a yacht in Monaco, just east of Nice. More private jets have landed in the last few hours. High chance it’s AS
cleveleysbob
Jun 9, 2021 at 5:03 PM
Comment #112OK so George Carey on Twitter says GMATO is in Nice.
Flightaware.com curtesy of Reilly say it’s on ground in Luton and has been for last week.
Can someone who knows actually give an honest, factual whereabouts of this plane please?
Before we get overly excited would be nice. 🙂
cleveleysbob
Jun 9, 2021 at 5:05 PM
Comment #113Carney, not Cary, apologies to all perfectionists. 😉