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
Lovem Hatem
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:12 PM
Comment #81Fabre for manager
Rangnick for DOF
Luka Jovic for ST
Kamara for CDM
Tarkowski for CD
Optimistic prime
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:12 PM
Comment #82Clark on Talksport, always great to hear him talk about the club.
https://youtu.be/x88BQHAe8Jk
Munster Mag
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:13 PM
Comment #83Rob what was the story with Favre leaving Dortmund?
TheTinman
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:13 PM
Comment #84Lovely picks Hatem
carltoon
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:13 PM
Comment #85Wow! Can we slow down the rate of posts, I can’t keep up. It’s been GREAT reading the blog. No i haven’t stopped crying. I keep welling up. Just my opinion
No to Rogers, Lampard, and Gerard. Don’t know enough about the foreign managers. So I’ll just wait and see
The Ledge
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:14 PM
Comment #86Munster that wasn’t the wife’s one mate that was one for sale on Done deal the wives is the very same just a bit newer.
Beautiful car Munster sports suspension is a bit solid on backroads but nothing to worry about a very upmarket motor a lot finer car than the Skoda or Volkswagen even the BMW imo.
Optimistic prime
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:15 PM
Comment #87Mags
Didn’t mean it in that way, I really like Lamptey.
WLtoon
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:17 PM
Comment #88‘Every single club from a Sunday league pub side wants success and trophies and those that say they don’t are lying as they know they have no chance. I’ve experienced both and I know which I prefer. Morals and principles only apply to those not given a chance to have them tested, it’s all they have to at least try and claim some moral high ground as the fifth goal hits their net when playing one of the top four.’
From a Citeh fan, relating to our takeover being similar, and the criticism they got when bought by the Arabs
IrishRob
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:17 PM
Comment #89I told you already Munster, did you not see the post?
The Ledge
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:18 PM
Comment #90Lamptey is a brilliant player just a bit injury prone I would prefer Aarons from Norwich but either would be brilliant signings.
Kessie from Milan would be the box to box midfielder I would go for
SholaShow
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:22 PM
Comment #91So many top players with contacts ending between now and summer 2023 – https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/transfers/endendevertraege/statistik?plus=0&jahr=2023&ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=alle&altersklasse=alle&land_id=0&yt0=Show
I imagine many of them about sign new deals will have just started stalling to see what happens here 🙂
Assassins Inc
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:22 PM
Comment #92All this talk about managers not wanting to come to Newcastle because it’s a rebuilding phase. lol can’t stop laughing at that statement.
Managers that come to St James know the fans are one of the best in the world, the hospitality in Newcastle towards players and manager is like no other city.
Now lets roll into the equation we are now the richest club in the world and this manager could become a legend and build a world class team, now let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want this. The next few weeks are going to be interesting indeed.
It has to be a huge name and a bold statement from the new owners.
Zhongguo Geordie
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:25 PM
Comment #93My opinion on Edward’s links
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Had half a good season where every touch went in, but ten nediocre years before that. Too old. Not good long left at his mediocre level. Willock can do that anyway.
James Tarkowski (Burnleyl
Yes, could push on around better players. 29 for a defender isn’t bad.
Aaron Ramsey (Juventus)
No way. Huge wages. Injury prone. 5 years since he was at his prime.
Ross Barkley (Chelsea)
He’s finished. Seems to be an attitude problem. Wouldn’t want him when we had no money
Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
If cheap. Brought in because he has strength and pace. Not much else.
Mason Holgate (Everton)
If Benitez doesn’t rate a defender then stay clear.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea)
Maybe. Never rated him that highly. Seems like the next Kakuta or Adu.
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Similar to ASM. Id rather Benrahama if we want a second mercurial winger.
Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Good player.
Dwight McNeil (Burnley)
Decent.
The men of the moment
Ivan Toney (Brentford)
Yes
Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
No.
David Brooks (Bournemouth
Yes if he’s as good as he used to be.
Pascal Gross (Brighton)
Not as good as what we have.
Tariq Lamptey (Brighton)
Played about six games, looked great and been injured ever since. Avoid a guy with his speed who is already picking up injuries.
It’s a really sh*t unimaginative list, and very similar to what I imagine Bruce would want. All known names that will fall into those a lazy scout like Bruce would be aware of from watching match of the day after last orders.
JP...from The Rock
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:35 PM
Comment #94In this window I feel we should go all out for established stars outside the top 6 or good players of the top 6 that don’t seem to fet in the first 11. This and grabbing the next ASM, Bruno Fernandes’ and Van Dijk’s of the world now thet we can.
Toon67
Oct 9, 2021 at 3:40 PM
Comment #95Don’t want Gerrard or Shearer as manager, we need someone with a hell of a lot more experience at the top of the game.
Re, SJP
Cannot ever see them turning the pitch through 90 degrees as that would require playing elsewhere for a couple of years. Where would we play home games, Gateshead? I would imagine that they would look to build up the Gallowgate and corners or simply build a new stadium. Building a new stadium on the Town Moor could be possible especially if the SJP site was used to expand Leazes Park. That would be a great compromise
Steve Carney's Super Smirk
Oct 9, 2021 at 4:00 PM
Comment #96Re: Comment #68 from Optimistic Prime.
Absolutely!
The history and being one of the few big stadiums left in a city centre are good enough reasons. However, as someone who doesn’t live in the area but visits regularly and attends what games I can, I can’t stress enough what an impact the stadium has on visitors when they arrive in Newcastle. It truly is like a medieval Cathedral towering over its population and when you see that you can start to see why the Toon is The Toon.
With the money behind us, the emphasis on infrastructure and the local contacts and developing nouse of the Reubens I’d love to see some smart architects given the chance to find a way to provide the kind of renovation that the Saudis would expect. Throw in some of the neat tricks with acoustics etc that Levy* did with their new Stadium and we could have something that would remain the footballing heart and soul of the city whilst providing real awe in those trampling their way into the Gods when their team visits.
*with the added bonus of maybe bringing this malignant man to tears
peterk3
Oct 9, 2021 at 4:29 PM
Comment #97This is no job for Shearer, he has no experience.
The Prince's Mate
Oct 9, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Comment #98Scotland 3 Israel 2
The support and euphoria is unbelievable ….the jocks are on the same level as us…what support…