Newcastle have been in the running for some outstanding teenage talent over the past few months. Unfortunately, some of the young targets have been snapped up for high fees by other Premier League clubs.
Brazilian playmaker Andrey Santos landed at Stamford Bridge earlier this month while Argentine midfielder Maximo Perrone was confirmed as a new Manchester City player yesterday.
The Magpies have also dropped out of the running for Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda. The race to land the promising 18-year-old is between Arsenal and Dortmund. Newcastle’s need for first-team additions may have negated the move for Fresneda.
Newcastle did land a budding star at the start of the window with Garang Kuol’s arrival. The Australian international is currently on loan with Hearts where he gets to play with three of his fellow Aussies.
Newcastle continue to be linked with some outstanding youngsters including Sunderland’s Chris Rigg. The 15-year-old has already made his Black Cats debut and won’t turn 16 until June. He’s one to watch this summer.
The club are taking recruitment very seriously and are planning additional positions. The Mail’s Craig Hope posted the following on his Twitter account earlier this morning:
Newcastle will strengthen recruitment department with roles created for head of emerging talent, head of UK & southern scouting (13-18), operations manager & two more analyst roles at senior level. Hierarchy very impressed by Steve Nickson, who continues as scouting chief.
Newcastle are punching above their weight on the pitch with Eddie Howe extracting every bit of talent from his squad. Behind the scenes, the club continue to evolve and make the right moves for the future.
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68 comments so far
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:39 AM
Comment #41Wynsleap
Spot on. Touching distance of CL but the attack has gone stale. Criminal not to freshen it up.
Chelsea will challenge next season and so will bindippers.
This is our best chance to get top 4 for maybe two or three seasons and it would be a massive mistake to just jog on until the summer
magicmac54
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:41 AM
Comment #42TDS
I also said just a few days ago i wouldn`t be writing Evertons off just yet, i know they are a bit of a basket case at the moment, and are in real turmoil at the moment, but there is still a long way to go, it`s not like they are cut adrift, a lot will depend on what manager they appoint, will they appoint the the best manager to give them a chance of staying up!! i`m not so sure, in my opinion Sean Dyche would be the perfect manager in their circumstances, but the problem is their fans are a smug and arrogant lot and probably wouldn`t accept Dyche, it will be very interesting to see what happens going forward, but they usually find a way of staying up, so no way are they a lost cause just yet.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:41 AM
Comment #43Most of those Everton players you listed are worth those salaries (in as much as any PL player is worth their salary) when they’re playing well. They aren’t excessive wages for a team that should be top half of the PL.
The likes of Pickford (sorry!), DCL, Godfrey, and Tarkowski have been very good PL players for sure, albeit DCL has struggled for a season and a half from injuries and Pickford can be overemotional.
Looking at Everton’s problems is like looking at ours before the TO. We had players like Gayle, Clark, and Hendrick doing nothing for us while earning decent money (2 of those were free transfers I believe so that’s why higher wages) as well as multiple players on decent wages but underperforming due to bad coaching/tactics or injury issues. I reckon if they could get things sorted out off the pitch and get a decent manager in, their current squad would be comfortably mid-table.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:44 AM
Comment #44Pug – ridiculous measurement! Furlongs, hands, acres…all silly. Consign them to the dustbin of history and makes things easier for people to understand.
I’m speaking as someone who can do decent maths in my head but not everyone can, in fact I’d say most cannot.
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:45 AM
Comment #45January is a difficult time to buy we are told. Well Chelsea do not seem to find it so hard to spend a quarter of a billion and I bet they are not finished.
It’s odd the Saudis can spend 150 million a year on an old man’s wages but it’s a struggle to get anybody through the door here.
Ffp apparently. Really.
Adamn_92
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:48 AM
Comment #46We’ll see just how ‘stale our attack has got’ when our record signing striker with 3 goals in 5 games is fully fit and featuring more. Possibly starting from tonight or when we return to the league when he has a whole week and more of training under his belt 🙂
Adamn_92
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:49 AM
Comment #47jimiley
Chelsea have literally just taken the piss so much that UEFA have stepped in to change the rules. Is that really how you want us to be run? They are basically playing russian roulette hoping they don’t shoot themselves in the head in a season or 2.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:49 AM
Comment #48Magic – it’s all delusions of grandeur mate. I think the Everton fans would accept Dyche if they saw the plan and if Dyche could communicate to them early on that he was there to help sort out the issues rather than simply scramble around and hopefully stay up.
Interesting moment to compare Rafa with Bruce. Ok, the former arrived with a vastly superior record but the biggest difference between the two during their times here was that Rafa acknowledged the blatantly obvious problems with our club when he communicated with our fans whereas Bruce just constantly provided cover for Ashley. Rafa had the cover of his status in football but still took some balls to do it. They need a manager with the status, the experience, and the balls.
Before anyone jumps on the Rafa/Bruce bandwagon, I haven’t changed my opinion on either…
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:49 AM
Comment #49Adam
So who is our first choice striker ?
Adamn_92
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:51 AM
Comment #50jimiley
Wilson until Isak is deemed fully fit, then I suspect it’ll be Isak. Or Wilson and Isak both on together allowing fluidity and rotation up top.
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:52 AM
Comment #51Adam
I do not want to fart around like Chelsea but I also think it criminal if we sit on our hands . I am not after 250 million and more. Something would be nice. I highlight Chelsea as a contrast and do not accept that ffp prevents us from even making one top buy.
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:53 AM
Comment #52Adam
I doubt we will see them both on unless we are chasing a game.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:56 AM
Comment #53Adam – don’t forget that Chelsea pushing the rules led to them changing the rules on loans too. Chelsea were buying loads of young talent, loaning them out, and then selling many of them for a profit if they weren’t good enough to play for them. They’ve now limited the number of loans a club can have.
Shelvey
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:57 AM
Comment #54Hopefully we will Get a few signings in this week, we dont Play this weekend so we should just Get our business done.
We should definately invest now, not wait until the summer. Sign Two quality players and hopefully both win the carabao and Get top 4!! Enjoy the ride, HWTL
SirRhosis
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:58 AM
Comment #55I don’t take any notice of my weight unless my scales tell me I’m over 16st.
Kg?……………. I just think, whatever!
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:59 AM
Comment #56Adam
The attack has gone stale because we do not have the players do open up blocked defences. Average teams are inviting us onto them and trying to hit us on the break. We are dominating teams because some are not competing in the middle
We dominated Palace but hardly created a top chance. Half chances.
We need a ball player on the wing and one in the middle. Saka and deBryne would do nicely
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:59 AM
Comment #57jimiley – many of us said that our transfer business would be late in the window. It’s often the more desperate teams who do their business early, unless it’s one that was agreed in advance anyway.
Expect to see our recruitment team wait to see whether any selling teams change their stance and are willing to do decent deals closer to the end of the window. Also, loans typically happen right at the end once clubs are pretty sure about their permanent incomings/outgoings.
At a guess, I’d say we’ll get 2 players in but it could be 1 or even zero if the market is too tough. They won’t overspend though as we’re not desperate, unlike last season.
Trust the plan though. Even if we don’t get CL football next season, we’re progressing and building up speed. Nobody can stop us if we continue doing what we’re doing.
sparky55
Jan 24, 2023 at 11:59 AM
Comment #58Just spoken to Lord Scattercash…3 incoming!
One purple
One young ‘un like Botman
One kid
U heard it here last
magicmac54
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:00 PM
Comment #59Ron Van Dam
I totally agree on Evan Ferguson, and to add weight to your post, Alan Shearer and Tim Sherwood have said in the Irish Daily Star this week that Newcastle should go all out to sign young Ferguson, i`ve been keeping a close eye on him recently and he really looks the business, he would be a fabulous signing for the Toon mate.
Adamn_92
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:00 PM
Comment #60jimiley
I think we will see a big summer of transfers which is why they’re being very cautious this window. Think it’s been mentioned a few times that our wages and current income is an issue FFP wise. So move players on this window (Wood already for example) and early in the summer, hopefully have some big income sorted through sponsorship and commercial deals. Then we have more freedom to spend and build for a season with potentially Europe to look forward to.
Spend big now and we limit that chance in the summer, especially if we don’t get as much income as we would like or don’t offload as many players to free up wages as we’d like.
There’s still a week to go until the window shuts so let’s see what happens late on 🙂
Also Howe has spoken about Isaks versatility, so if he carries on his decent goal return so far and Wilson starts finding the net again, it’d be tricky to leave one out and could see Howe utilising Isaks versatility to have them both on the field.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:02 PM
Comment #61SirRhosis – about 94kg is probably my fit weight so if I go over 100kg then I know I’ve let things go a little too much! It’s a nice and easy round number for me! Probably around 97/98 at the moment so somewhere in the middle…just over 15st I think.
16 ounces to a pound, 14 pounds to a stone…try explaining that to someone who isn’t from this country!
Adamn_92
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:03 PM
Comment #62Also agree we need a creative player, have said for ages now we’ve missed a number 10 style player for years. But if we don’t get one this window I don’t think it’s a big deal. Our stats are pretty consistent all season in terms of shots, shots on target, possession, corners etc. So don’t think chance creation is too big an issue, just a blip in converting them currently. Happens sometimes and i’m sure we’ll get back to scoring form soon.
A creative type would obviously help for clearer chances against low block teams, but I don’t think we’ll be struggling for goals from now till the season ends if we don’t sign one now.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:05 PM
Comment #63Even if we don’t get top 4 this season, what we are doing is putting ourselves firmly in the shop window as a really impressive club for sponsors to be associated with. That is crucial to increase revenue and help with FFP.
There’s very little negative news (i.e. Joelinton’s drink driving) coming out of the club and when there is, it’s managed expertly.
We are looking like an excellent brand to be associated with: professional, loved by the fans, successful, ambitious, great for the community, investing in our women’s team, etc.
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:08 PM
Comment #64Adam
Leaving all the signings until the summer is the wrong tactics.
A minimum one purple and ideally two would guarantee top 4.
We will be gutted if we sign nobody and end 5th.
Chelsea and dippers are in disarray but will be back with a bang next season after reinforcements and no CL
Put it another way
We but a couple of quality players now and we get top 4
We wait until the summer and end up 5th, then 4 purples might not be enough.
Adding some quality now is the smart move. Waiting is the wrong call
magicmac54
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:14 PM
Comment #65TDS@48
I agree with a lot of that post mate, except there should never ever be any comparison`s between Rafa Benitez and Bruce, one is a highly intelligent manager who has won a multitude of trophies at top clubs, while the other is best suited to driving combine harvester`s or working in Clint Flicks Allotment 😀 😀 Please let`s not go there mate 😀
jimiley
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:23 PM
Comment #66A player like Maddison would make a massive difference. He guarantees 10 to 15 goals a season in our team as a forward midfield player.
Without naming names there are players in our midfield who cannot shoot and cannot even get a shot off. I can think of two midfielders who will be lucky to get 5 goals a season between them.
If a player like Maddison was in our midfield from the start of the season and had played to date ( accept he has been injured) many of our draws would be wins. We might be 7 to 10 points higher. Genuine challengers.
We have some decent midfielders but one or two are squad players rather than first choice in a top 4 team
dazzler
Jan 24, 2023 at 12:27 PM
Comment #67Jimiley,
You’re assuming we have the money to go and spend £100m on two players though. It may be a case of needing to wait until the summer, as we don’t have the sponsorship deals in place yet which would allow us to go out and buy the players we need.
We’ll know soon enough, the deadline is next week so not long to wait. Not a lot you can do about it though so no point in letting it get the better of you.
wynsleap
Jan 24, 2023 at 1:57 PM
Comment #68Lose our chance of Champions League entry this season and we lose our chance of not only announcing our position in the elite as well all the money it engenders plus the attraction for top players in the summer window.
And let’s face it without those top players who says our team will be at the very head of the table next season? I wouldn’t bet on another 15 unbeaten run game would you?
“Strike while the iron’s hot” isn’t just an old wise saying for nothing.