The completion of the takeover on Thursday made Newcastle the richest club in the world and not by a small margin. The new owners are planning on a complete rebuild from the ground up which is music to many Newcastle fans’ ears.
In an exclusive interview in The Sun, Amanda Staveley mentioned two areas of need that the new board will be laser-focused on – infrastructure and the playing squad.
Newcastle’s newfound wealth will allow the club to not only greatly improve the facilities but also attract some world-class talent. When asked about recruitment, Staveley mentioned that getting the infrastructure up to snuff will be just as important:
“We are in the market to compete for world-class players.
“We have great ambitions — I hope it’s going to be a game-changer for Newcastle United.
“But if you don’t put the infrastructure around that world-class player and you don’t have a team that can play with him, you’ll get nowhere.
“The training ground is really awful and needs a huge amount of investment.
“Luckily, that is one area we are not restricted by Financial Fair Play.
“There is no point in having fantastic players if there is nowhere for them to train.
“We are in the market to compete for world-class players.
“But if you don’t put the infrastructure around that world-class player, you’ll get nowhere.”
The training ground has been neglected at Newcastle for far too long. It’s reassuring that Staveley sees upgrading the infrastructure as a primary focal point. That will also play a role in attracting top talent.
Staveley alluded to Financial Fair Play in her comments. That is one area Mike Ashley has left the club in excellent shape in. His frugality has left the new board with plenty of room to maneuver in the transfer market.
The Telegraph is reporting that Newcastle can spend up to £190m in January before breaching FFP rules. It’s important to stress that they are not claiming that will be January’s budget.
Due to Newcastle’s sudden change of circumstances, we can expect the club to be linked with almost every player under the sun going forward. That has already started en masse over the past few days.
Before the initial collapse of the takeover in July of 2020, Newcastle were linked with many top players. Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho has already again been touted as a top target of the new owners. The Brazilian was linked throughout 2020 along with a few other stars.
The player that was brought up constantly in 2020 was Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly. The 30-year-old’s name has again resurfaced with Football Insider reporting the new board will try to make him one of their first signings.
Koulibaly has just two years left on his contract and won’t command the £90m fee touted last year. So he could fit Newcastle’s reported new transfer policy of targeting players in the final years of their contract.
While the Senegal international doesn’t have Premier League experience, he is a very accomplished defender who has been linked with top Premier League clubs during the past few seasons.
Another player that was reportedly on the new owners’ wishlist last year was Real Betis attacker Nabil Fekir. At the time, the Frenchman’s price tag was reported to be around £42m. His contract also runs out in 2023.
Sport Witness has cited a report from Spain’s Estadio Deportivo that Real Betis fear losing their star if Newcastle come knocking. There was ‘strong interest’ in the 28-year-old from the consortium last year.
We’ll likely be linked with other names that did the rounds prior to July of last year. Lazio striker Ciro Immobile, Napoli forward Hirving Lozano, and Arkadiusz Milik, now with Marseille, were all considered top targets amongst others just over a year ago.
98 comments so far
magscar
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:22 PM
Comment #41I may be out of step but if we do look to poach a manager then I hope it is done on good terms – don’t want us to be one of those Billy Big Pockets riding roughshod over evrry club
I didn’t like it before and I think we can be better than that
Let’s be the Entertainers again but who aren’t also rans 🙂
The Ledge
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:22 PM
Comment #42Farve is a free agent after being sacked by Dortmund would be a brilliant manager to start this new era off.
WLtoon
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:23 PM
Comment #43OP.
Like the idea of digging down mind. Bowls of Hell got me chuckling.
magscar
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:29 PM
Comment #44For anyone nterested Shearer is going to be on NUFCfans TV at 5:00
Who says International breaks are boring – not this one !
WLtoon
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:29 PM
Comment #45Novo,
Yeah maybe you are right, but with new stadiums come new transport routes etc, heard about the monorail idea?
Anyway, i hope we stay put, can`t imagine a ground being any other than st James`s.
Wor B
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:30 PM
Comment #46Magscar #41
Totally agree, onwards and upwards, but with a bit of grace and humility.
Let’s not be tainted by Man U type arrogance.
Adamn_92
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:31 PM
Comment #47If we persuaded Potter to join I can almost guarantee we’d end up bringing Bissouma with him.
Romford mag
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:32 PM
Comment #48Lamptey ?
IrishRob
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:33 PM
Comment #49I dont think Conte is going to come here, unless he’s just trying to get a better deal for himself by saying he wants established clubs.
Farve on the other hand is a free agent also and not even remotely as big headed and elitist as Conte.
It’s great to wonder who though.
SholaShow
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:33 PM
Comment #50Great to just hear Amanda say in plain terms what we’ve been saying about the training ground and infrastructure for years.
No ignoring a rot anymore, just a frank assessment of how low this club has fallen and what will be done to make it a world-class once again.
Genuinely think work on new facilities could be announced within weeks if they’ve got all the plans drawn up and ready to go.
geordie157
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:35 PM
Comment #51I’d like us to go for Potter, lets see what he can do with a bigger budget. Lampard maybe, Howe 3rd choice.
I think the Conte types will come in 2-3 years time
Don’t want Coutinho, earning massive money and not doing much to earn it. Martial no thanks too
Go for hungry players with potential, Bellingham, Rice, Gravenbach, Timber, Zaniola, Tierney, Isak, Hudson-Odoi, possibly taking a chance on a Van der Beek
We probably do need a big signing for centre back, to help Lascelles push on or to replace him. Not sure who, I like Dunk but we probably need to aim higher than that.
IrishRob
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:36 PM
Comment #52Who does everyone think will be our first player OUT? I don’t think it will be Hendrick, I think it will be somone who can be sold like Clarke or Gayle or maybe even Richie.
Also on players like Hendrick or Fernández, what will happen players like that, will they just get paid off and released? Anyone sny opinions?
The Ledge
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:37 PM
Comment #53Shelvey for me
WLtoon
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:37 PM
Comment #54The SD signs are staying put for a while as part of the deal, but how long is a while.
Jeez after 14 years of putting up with the greedy bastard we still have to put up with blatant reminders of his tenure, even with new owners through the door.
honest fan
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:41 PM
Comment #55I think Antonio would be a good choice uptop and that would probably piss any hammers fan off but….
IrishRob
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:43 PM
Comment #56I think it will be very very hard for us to buy players like Chilwell or Koulibaly this season. For no other reason than they will cost too much, 40M min 60M max for either is my guess and that’s just too much atm we need at least 4 players in January and we simply can’t spend 200M in 1 window just yet. I expect so where between 80M to 130M will be their budget.
Munster Mag
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:43 PM
Comment #57Who was lecturing me that we wanted owners who would take the signs down straight away. I can’t live with the signs for a year, once we have Amanda!
Swlabr
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:44 PM
Comment #58WLToon. @ 45. I’ve heard about the monorail. In Springfield wasn’t it. I seem to remember it wasn’t very successful.
Munster Mag
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:44 PM
Comment #59Rob why was Favre sacked at Dortmund? Was it unfair? Tks
Optimistic prime
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:44 PM
Comment #60I’d have Lamptey, just to make sure he wasn’t playing against us.
honest fan
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:45 PM
Comment #61Hope they are making him pay for the signs now
magscar
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:46 PM
Comment #62Picking up on ground points don’t PIF want to invest in area?
New stadium with new links like monorail could be part of vision?
However there could be a tricky tightrope to walk as current stadium position tremendously favours local pubs etc and even more so from a week tomorrow.
Some town centres have been devasttated by out of town shopping malls but Metrocente and Eldon Square have managed cheek by jowl.
Gateshead took hit and no doubt that town now a city (?0 down the road
Ideally new ground easy cheap and fast links from town centre to a new super state of art stadium would be great compromise
I’ve been to Leeds several times with mates and had drink in ciity bars before getting supporters ‘ bus near railway station
out to Ellend Road and works well except getting back into city as hordes leave ground
I haven’t done it on the times i’ve been to see us there though always car or coach to near ground – it’s a bear pit !!
Munster Mag
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:48 PM
Comment #63Just been to shop, congratulated by a Arsenal fan! Was wearing the Toon top from kids training this morning 🙂
simon376
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:48 PM
Comment #64Think extending our ground won’t be too much of a pro. Building behind east stand owned by Saudis, so no issue to expanding that stand, no complaints from owner. A bit of money in right direction to people who bought gallowgate land before more building work, could add another section to gallowgate. Sure could expand to 70k plus without too much of a problem, let’s have a full rounded stadium. Also if a standing section was put in at bottom of gallowgate and leazes, with other expansions could hit 100k
IrishRob
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:48 PM
Comment #65Is it just me or is anyone else rolling their eyes at the thought of us signing Lacazette? I really think he’s rubbish, he barely gets 5-10 goals a season and he’d cost a nice chunk.
I’ve never rated him.
Romford mag
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:49 PM
Comment #66https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10075381/Newcastle-target-Graham-Potter-Englishmans-brilliant-start-season-Brighton.html
Munster Mag
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:50 PM
Comment #67Ledge, tks for the pic of your wife’s car. I went for something similar, although I won’t be getting it for a week.
Optimistic prime
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:50 PM
Comment #68Don’t be leaving SJP in any sort of hurry.
It’s a engineers problem to overcome but increasing the capacity is possible, just depends how much you want to spend.
I wouldn’t want us to leave SJP, develop the site!
IrishRob
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:50 PM
Comment #69From what I read it was results went bad and they got best 5-1 by a promoted team. But he also set a record of winning results with them a few months before that, so it’s hard to know tbh.
geordie157
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:53 PM
Comment #70First player out….Gayle
Mag52
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:55 PM
Comment #71No way Jose (mourinho) for me anyway.
In order of preference it would be : Pochettino, Bielsa, Conte.
Corkypants
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:57 PM
Comment #72A few names we should be looking at for sure
Ward Prowse
Smith Rowe
Maddison
Hudson Odoi
Tarkowski
Kelvin Phillips
Bellingham
Rice
Any of these would definitely improve us in there respected positions.
I keep forgetting we are the richest club in the world screw it go buy them all Amanda!!!!
SholaShow
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:58 PM
Comment #73A couple of years and we’ll be on this list – https://www.90min.com/in/posts/top-7-football-clubs-with-the-best-training-grounds-in-the-world#:~:text=Top%207%20Football%20Clubs%20With%20the%20Best%20Training,%28Bayern%20Munich%29%207%20Milanello%20Sports%20Centre%20%28AC%20Milan%29
Night and day compared to our ramshackle current facility.
TheTinman
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:59 PM
Comment #74Adam, Bissouma is under arrest for sexual assault in a nightclub. Don’t want players who go hanging around in nightclubs either way, whether he is innocent or guilty
magscar
Oct 9, 2021 at 2:59 PM
Comment #75OP
That is the Chelsea mantra – snapping up anyone just to spike opposition and clog up their squads with potential loan players.
Man City have also seen sense of it
That’s becasue It is also a way to prosper under FFP restrictions
Those squad players not seen as first team squad ready then go out on loan to other clubs to be coached up (at their expense) and ultimaely make it at home club or are sold on at profit to fund further buys
They don’t always get it right and there are big time mistakes like Salah, Debruyne and may be Lukaku which could be due to the need to keep recycling of players going
It’s a producion line that favours the richest and I’ve railed against it on here
IrishRob
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:01 PM
Comment #76Maddison for me no way!! Hes good when he’s good and a waste of space when he’s bad, which happens way more often to boot.
I think Rice and Bellingham are going to be too expensive atm. Can’t see us buying anyone over 40M this window because we habe too many players need buying with our budget.
TheTinman
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:07 PM
Comment #77That’s another thing, I hope they jump on the date standing trials.
I know that the clubs have to pay to change the seating for the trial, which of course Ashley wouldn’t have done.
WLtoon
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:08 PM
Comment #78Not sure about where the monorail idea originated from, or where it had been implemented, if at all, was just an option which was being considered if a new stadium was in the offing.
If the current stadium can be redeveloped by hook or by crook then do it, there is no stadium in the country with a location as good as this one.
TheTinman
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:09 PM
Comment #79Hudson Odoi – no thanks.
Spat the dummy out he wasnt sold to Bayern and spat the dummy out because he wasn’t selected for England (despite doing ferk all for Chelsea)
SholaShow
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:09 PM
Comment #80Likes of Rice, Bellingham and Phillips are at the stage where they’d only move for the chance to win trophies immediately and will have those options.
Tarkowski is ideal for CB. Good player, good age, good PL exp and a good price given his contract situation.
Then we just need a ST, DM and LB and that’ll do us for January, any more would be welcome of course and I don’t doubt there is appetite for the new owners to make a statement signing if the right one is attainable.