In a Q&A for The Athletic, local journalist Chris Waugh has answered a few questions on where Newcastle’s transfer window could progress from here.
Eddie Howe has brought in two new faces in Nick Pope and Sven Botman as well as making Matt Targett’s stay a permanent one. Pope and Botman will arrive for pre-season on Wednesday.
The focus will shift to the top end of the pitch with a right-sided forward and a young striker wanted. Waugh has added a new name to the shortlist in Club Brugge’s Noa Lang. He is one of the targets that has been watched by the recruitment team.
Lang is a Dutch international and was a former teammate of Sven Botman’s at the famed Ajax Academy. Club Brugge turned Lang’s season-long loan into a permanent deal last summer for £5.5m.
The 23-year-old had just 14 appearances at Ajax, a club he had been with since he was 14. He was previously with the Feyenoord set-up. The forward is extremely versatile and can play across a front three or even as an attacking midfielder.
For the past two seasons, he has an excellent goal contribution tally of 26 goals and as many assists in 85 appearances. While that is in the Jupiler Pro League, those are impressive statistics nonetheless.
Lang is likely seen as an alternative to Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby, whose name continues to resurface. For now the Frenchman appears just out of reach, though Newcastle may decide to test Leverkusen’s resolve later in the window.
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24 comments so far
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:09 AM
Comment #1Ruddy & Darnik – I think we’re pretty much aligned and I would imagine most fans feel similarly about this season too.
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:12 AM
Comment #2Repost
Ruddy
Jesus hasn’t been prolific so far but tbf he hasn’t had a chance to be at city with their rotation, hopefully he has a stinker and it keeps them out of the champions league
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:15 AM
Comment #3Tds
I’m confident we’ll get to the top table but it’ll take a good few years yet, We’ve been a joke for 14 years so I’m sure our fans can be patient for a few more years , a cup or 2 meantime will be nice though 😉
valle
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:17 AM
Comment #4Ruddy
I agree about the strikker, and I dont think thats a problem at all, because I believe that Wilson is a 20 goal striker with the right team and staying fit.
I wouldnt mind if we finished lower than My prediction, but I believe its possible since we have already shown top 3 form since Howe came in, and if you add the players I mentioned, I believe that we will really surprise people.
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:18 AM
Comment #5Neil
According to the Twitterati we’ve already made a move for Diaby
CLINT FLICK
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:20 AM
Comment #6If we can get Maxi to fluke 10 goals, bump his price up, sell on, quick! Gouge away!
It’s inherent in him that it’s ‘about’ him, no one else puts out ‘personal’ training vids…they just produce on the field of play, let the real work do the talking.
More an observation than a criticism!
Don’t see any other explanation, do you?
Howay Maxi, step up!
G
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:28 AM
Comment #7Saw some stats at the weekend on Social Media which showed Richarlison’s stats in the Prem compared to Chris Woods. Woods were better in every area, requiring fewer games to get there. I wouldn’t write Woods off as a bad buy or backup to Wilson yet?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:30 AM
Comment #8I’m late to the party like most so I’ll save you all the reposts from the last thread. Valle, Darnik, TDS I posted a few replies to our discussion on the last thread if you want to read them haha
Yes, I think some are a little more optimistic thinking we can crack top 6. After all, West Ham went from battling relegation one season to top 6 the next so it can be done. While I’d be delighted with that, I’m setting my personal expectations a little lower and would be happy with 10th and a cup run. I think 11th flattered us a little given how precarious our position was at Christmas but that is testament to the job EH has done with the lads. Consolidate the squad, build an exciting team playing great football, get SJP rocking, a cheeky cup run and every top european talent will be begging to play for us haha
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:30 AM
Comment #9G
Exactly mate he’s an understudy and a decent one at that
G
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:31 AM
Comment #10One of the pundits I was listening too this weekend was tipping Toon for one of the Cups this year, and a Top 8 finish. I would take that in a heartbeat. FA Cup would be my preference.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:32 AM
Comment #11Leeds are closing in on the signing of Colombian left winger Luís Sinisterra from Feyenoord. A big indicator that Jack Harrison is on the move then…?
Mund
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:33 AM
Comment #12G
Stats can be very misleading mate. Look at Maxi last year and his stats could say to an unknown he had a stellar year but most fans were frustrated with him and rightly so.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:35 AM
Comment #13Wood has a part to play in our squad for sure, but he doesn’t score at the required rate to properly stand in for Wilson. Wood scores at a rate of 1 every 3 games. Richarlison may have a worse goal scoring ratio but he isn’t an out and out CF like Wood and contributes in a more varied way than Wood does, namely with assists, set pieces, running channels etc.
G
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:37 AM
Comment #14For the record CW had more assists and key passes too on the stats. Didn’t go any further into it (could have been completely made up for all I knews?) but it was an interesting read nonetheless.
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:38 AM
Comment #15Ruddy
Arsenal playing to his strengths is what worries me I’d love them to miss out on champions league again, their fans come across as another bunch of entitled tw@ts
CLINT FLICK
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:39 AM
Comment #16Aye
Wood is a useable asset.
He brings certain stuff.
…and he ain’t all time NZ scorer for nowt.
Davas
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:41 AM
Comment #17Wood is another one who I’m hoping will get better with a preseason under EH. At the end of the day he came into a new team playing a different way to Burnley Under a bit of pressure probably because of the price tag but did what was needed.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:43 AM
Comment #18You’ll hear very little criticism of Chris Wood from me, I rate the big guy and think he did a solid job when called upon in Wilson’s absence. I just don’t see him being Howe’s choice of player in a possession based, into feet type of style that he seems to prefer to play. He’ll be in the squad but will likely be in rotation with whatever young striker we sign in the summer with Wood eventually relegated to 3rd choice striker in my opinion.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:46 AM
Comment #19Darnik
I watched quite a bit of Arsenal last season and felt that they missed a more clinical intelligent striker to finish some of their intricate passing moves, which is something if Jesus can click into and form a good understanding with the likes of Odegaard, Smith-Rowe and Saka, he could certainly be scoring freely next season. Jesus has learned his trade from one of the best coaches in the world and under one of the best strikers in PL history. Arsenal could be one to watch next season.
valle
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:48 AM
Comment #20Ruddy
I understand where you are comming from, and you have the advantage of not getting disapointed if you set the bar a bit low. But lets see, because we are far from certain to get Diaby, Paqueta and a striker anyway and that would make a huge difference to our season if we got them
CLINT FLICK
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:48 AM
Comment #21Hey Ruddy
How did ya tattoo sitting go, mate?
Nicey, or what?
Big fan of ‘in to feet’ in midfield, but played in front, to run on to, in attacking positions.
Mister Tuff
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:49 AM
Comment #22I don’t think Diaby is a strict out and out centre forward. Got no idea what he is like in the air. He seems to have a mentality to go forward and knows where the net is. But he needs to be partnered with a true centre forward .
We just cannot rely on Wilson for a full season – by sods law he’ll get crocked again.
I’m being positive and think we will finish in the top six (obviously need a couple of more players pronto).
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:53 AM
Comment #23Valle
That’s my life’s motto: aim low and you’ll never be disappointed. Well actually that’s Peter La Fleur from Dodgeball but it’s solid advice haha
We need a bit more depth on the wings so I’m sure we’ll make a signing there. and it’s clear that we need a striker, and hopefully we sign a CAM before the window closes. I like Fraser, and believe that there is a player to be unearthed in Almiron but he needs to show it this season. I don’t think Jacob Murphy is good enough and should be moved on, but being on a long-term contract this will be tough. I’d be amazed if we didn’t bolster our options there during the window.
Clint
Yeah all good mate, 7 hours sitting so it was a long enough stretch mate haha
Yeah I think we need a CF with a bit more of a deft touch into feet than Wood, though he does serve his purpose if we play a more direct style of play.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:54 AM
Comment #24Darnik – A cup wouldn’t be just nice, it would be amazing! Most of us weren’t even alive the last time our club won a trophy, unless you count the rather weird awarding of the Intertoto Cup…
We’ve seen lots of clubs outside of the top 6 win trophies since we last did so it would be about bloody time to win one.
Not just nice but amazing. 🙂