We have been linked with this player before Sandro Tonalia was banned until late next August from playing for Newcastle, because of his illegal betting.
And now a report in the Northern Echo suggests that Newcastle will indeed go after Manchester City’s 27-year-old England International Kalvin Phillips in January.
And it could even be a permanent deal – or a loan with an obligation to buy next summer, to help with the FFP rules.
Recently Pep Guardiola made statements – as follows – that he was not scared to sell Phillips to a Premier League rival like Newcastle.
“Would I stop a player from joining a rival? Never, ever,”
“I give my opinion to the club, and they decide if the transfer suits both sides and the player. Why? I think blocking a move means you are a small club.”
“Big clubs, they don’t care, they make decisions for the benefit of all three parties – players and both clubs and agents sometimes.”
“Really, it is not a problem. They want to go to Chelsea, United, Liverpool whoever. What is the problem?”
“They are happy to be there, the club is happy with the transfer, and the other club is happy with the amount of money they spend.”
“It’s fine.”
The number one priority at Newcastle in January is to bring in a central midfielder and it now looks like the number one candidate is Phillips.
News today that Elliott Anderson may be out longer than anticipated with his back in jury and well into next year before he can return – it seems his back injury is long term.
And at the moment we have 10 first-teamers injured with about half of them being long-term.
And Phillips has also been told by England manager Gareth Southgate that he must play more games if he is to make the England squad for Euro 2024 in Germany next year.
It also appears the lad seems very keen to get on the Newcastle train – destined for greatness over the next several years, under the new owners.
Phillips has not started one league game this season for City – so he’s really out in the cold in Manchester.
We have to hope that Dan Ashworth and his staff can bring Phillips in early in January, because he has a job to do at Newcastle with Tonali out for the season and Anderson out long term.
Manchester City have put a price of £50M on him but they only paid £42M to Leeds on a six-year contract in July of last year: we are sure a decent deal can be agreed with City.
We hope a decent deal can be agreed with City.
🙂
What do you think about this?
166 comments so far
Hibbit
Nov 15, 2023 at 5:44 PM
Comment #121Toney would make a great partner for Tonali ,
could either of them ever be trusted again, one would be bad enough, but two would be a huge gamble ….. excuse the pun 😆
Flurzinho
Nov 15, 2023 at 5:57 PM
Comment #122If Wilson is out for 6 weeks, he needs to be third choice,I am sick of his injury record.
Go big on a striker in January or we are not in the CL next season!
check the toastie
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:20 PM
Comment #123Its a shame but i am now resigned to this season fizzling out in terms of top5 ambitions and champions league.
We should go all out for the league cup. Silverware could save the season.
The next 6 weeks will take its toll on players such as Schar, Bruno, big Joe, little Jo, Gordon, Miggy and Sean. Gunna be flogged.
And most of them are just back from injuries. Sure big Joe is carrying one, never been right since his return.
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:27 PM
Comment #124Check,
At the same time going all out for the League cup could cause our season to fizzle out in terms of the PL and CL – it is a balancing act.
We will do the best we can in every game and in everything we do. We should be satisfied with that. Our path to glory was never going to be easy but we will get there in the end.
check the toastie
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:27 PM
Comment #125I think we are a bit fcuked for foreseeable.
Folk need to reign in expectations, but Eddie could surprise and grind out some wins.
He is the best.
Mund
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:27 PM
Comment #126Rob Davies
@ByRobDavies
Exclusive: Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich used offshore vehicles to fund tens of millions in football-related expenses that ought to have been paid for by the club, leaked files suggest.
Experts say Chelsea could face points deduction.
Thread
https://twitter.com/ByRobDavies/status/1724673593785692377
check the toastie
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:29 PM
Comment #127That Chelsea game could give the club a huge boost, similar to beating Man Utd away in last round.
No doubt we pull Man City or Liverpool out in third round of FA cup so this is it for our hope of breaking the silverware curse.
check the toastie
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:32 PM
Comment #128Mund – just cant see Chelsea getting points took off. Lawyers will be all over it
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:35 PM
Comment #129Check,
I agree that some people have expectations that are too high. We are at the beginning of a journey and we have been doing great. If course injuries look like they will have an impact on this season but that happens in football.
What we need to remember is that we are up against teams that have built up a massive advantage over us during the last decade or more..
I have just been looking at Citehs numbers….my next post…
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:35 PM
Comment #130Man Citeh’s latest financials show we have a long way to go. Of course we all know this but the gap is quite staggering when you look at the numbers.
Last season Man City’s revenue was £712.8m!! We have not yet made last seasons accounts available but for the 21/22 season ours was £180.0m. Obviously our revenue last season was significantly higher (I conservatively estimate that ours will be at least £240m for last season when the accounts are published) but that is still only about a third of Citehs in the same period.
Citeh made £121.7m profit on transfers alone and their squad was not weaker as a result – they won the treble!!
The progress at NUFC has been great but the above numbers show what we are up against.
Certain Toon
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:41 PM
Comment #131I see Taco saw some numbers and got a hard on 😀
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:42 PM
Comment #132Mund<
I highly doubt Chelsea will get deducted points. One of the only smart things Boehly did since arriving was to report to FIFA and UEFA what his team found in Chelseas books.
They will now say "this happened under a previous ownership and we were not aware of this or we would have reported it as we did with other things"
Chelsea will get a fine at most IMO.
Mund
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:44 PM
Comment #133Taco/Check
For me it’s under the Chelsea name not the ownership so I do think they should be punished.
If it’s as bad as it looks then surely if it is just a fine it will be a record breaking hefty one.
check the toastie
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:46 PM
Comment #134Four years it took Man City to win the league and they started from a strong position.
And were then allowed to spend as much as they wanted.
However it is Pep who has made City the team they currently are. Hopefully he does one just as we are getting super strong. We are miles behind Man City as a club on and off pitch
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:48 PM
Comment #135I normally temper my expectations but we had every right to raise them this season, we’ve just been desperately unlucky, it’s like Tonali’s gambling cursed us.
Davas
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:51 PM
Comment #136I’ve seen a lot of thoughts and opinions on what we might need in January but I do wonder whether it’s feasible that we could bring in several players or a £60 striker or whatever. I have no idea about the finances of the club or any insight into players but it does concern me that we couldn’t afford to buy Hall and had to defer payment till summer. Add to that the fact that the new shirt sponsorship with Adidas doesn’t kick in until the summer makes me dubious about what business we might do in January. Guess we’ll find out in January.
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:52 PM
Comment #137Mund,
I agree with what you say in principal (the owner is irrelevant and the club benefitted unfairly) but in practice only lower league teams or Italian teams get deducted points for cheating FFP last time I checked. I just cant see Chelsea getting points docked for this.
The Everton case could be interesting though…I want them to get docked points and I am not sure they can afford great lawyers so they could be screwed.
Davas
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:53 PM
Comment #138Maybe Chelsea knew this were coming and expect a transfer embargo and that’s why they “stocked up” on players. 😀
Mund
Nov 15, 2023 at 6:59 PM
Comment #139Taco
I know it hasn’t happened in the top tier but surely it’s only a matter of time before it does. It shouldn’t mean because it hasn’t happened it won’t happen.
I agree tho that I can’t actually see it happening myself but I completely believe it should
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:00 PM
Comment #140Davas,
We will be limited in Jan. There is no way we are going to sign multiple players for fees that kick in this season. It will maybe one player and/or a loan or loan-to-buy type scenario. Also the Jan market is bad value for money at the best of times, and if we look needy other teams will try to have our eyes out on any deals. I cant see much business being done.
In the summer though we will splash the cash. Due to the Adidas deal, the CL money from this season, several contracts expiring and all losses from the takeover season not counting towards FFP anymore.
Davas
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:07 PM
Comment #141Taco
Yeah, that’s kind of along the lines that I was thinking, plus hoping that some of the long term injuries will be clearing up by then with no extra ones added.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:08 PM
Comment #142It’s a shame that in a year that Everton get docked points (if they do) that the three worst teams the championship has sent up in a long long time are probably going to save them.
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:10 PM
Comment #143Mund
I agree, but that is part of the problem. if you are lawyer for Chelsea and the talk of a points deduction comes up what is the first thing you do – you look for precedent and when you can’t find any you argue that any points deduction is totally disproportionate when compared to previous cases in the PL.
The PL and UEFA screwed this all up long ago now.
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:19 PM
Comment #144Davas,
Exactly…people worry about our injuries now but Jan is a while away. Aside from Tonali no-one is 100% guaranteed to be unavailable when the window opens.
That is why most of the media links us to a midfielder more than another position. Simple media mathematics – Tonali is out so NUFC will need a midfielder – who can we suggest? – Ah yes KP cos he doesn’t get game time at Citeh or a player from Saudi. Send that to the printers – every week.
It is boring really.
I hope Ashworth pulls a rabbit out of the hat. Surprise everyone.
Flurzinho
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:21 PM
Comment #145A Russian crook ,what a surprise.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:22 PM
Comment #146I think this knee jerk reaction to the third striker malarkey is just that, a knee jerk reaction to a few poor results. I don’t see what difference Isak or Wilson would have made on Saturday. The team is shattered and we’re clinging on by fingertips by Saturday and they just gave way.
JohnJ
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:27 PM
Comment #147I have little sympathy for Everton FC – How many times have they escaped from the drop by one stoke of luck or another?
I also think the goalkeeper with the little arms would have been wise to keep his big gob shut when he was playing against NUFC especially at SJP.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:29 PM
Comment #148Can’t see Chelsea FC getting a points penalty for something financially related that the previous owners did. Most I could imagine would be some kind of punishment for the people involved in any offence and theoretically they could have trophies stripped away that they work during the period of any offences.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:31 PM
Comment #149I was thinking 5th place at the beginning of the season. It’s looking tough with the injuries and suspensions that we have right now but just because we’re not in the top 5 right now doesn’t mean we won’t be at the end of the season. 5th was my Toon fan prediction and I’d probably have said 6th would be about the prediction of neutrals.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:35 PM
Comment #150I’d happily finish tenth if we beat Lpool on tge 1st of January.
Davas
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:40 PM
Comment #151Raj
Re Everton. Yeah, I said the same a little while ago. The PL are so slow to do anything, this should have been done last season.
The Taco Taker
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:42 PM
Comment #152Raj,
Personally I don’t have knee-jerk reactions.
I was of the opinion that a 3rd option was a good idea in the summer – I accepted that it could not be a high profile player and accept that NUFC can’t fix every hole in our squad in a window or two.
What I did know was that if Isak was out for a while then Wilson would get injured. While we can discuss other players taking the CF role none are proven in that position and are typically needed elsewhere – now more than ever. Ultimately no-one could have predicted the levels of injuries we have right now.
As it stands I have no idea what (if any) position we may strengthen in Jan. But I trust the recruitment team to make the correct decisions.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:48 PM
Comment #153TTT,
We had a third striker in AG until HB got injured, Eddie H said even HB could operate as a striker. I said two seasons ago we should get shot of Wilson and get someone less injury prone. A third striker is what it says on the tin, someone you rely on when down to the bare bones. That wouldn’t have made a difference to our current situation, which is dire.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:53 PM
Comment #154Danny Wellbeck is third striker, sometimes first striker at Brighton. The only reason they can carry ‘three’ strikers is because Ferguson has just come out of YTS wages and Welbeck is on the type of wages you’d expect from a bloke made of glass who’s career was almost over three years ago. I’m happy to be proved wrong here because I’m not saying there isn’t any others, which PL teams have three good strikers.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 15, 2023 at 7:56 PM
Comment #155I’m virtually certain that the club will have tried for a top young striker last summer. They’re guaranteed to have a target list but presumably the players they wanted were not available. Apart from Wood, we don’t appear to have compromised with any of our signings. I don’t think the club would want to change that policy by signing someone they didn’t really want just to add an extra body. What happens when one of their key targets becomes available in the next window?
Flurzinho
Nov 15, 2023 at 8:01 PM
Comment #156Big conkers are required.
Flurzinho
Nov 15, 2023 at 8:02 PM
Comment #157We don’t need an up and coming player, we need top class now!
Flurzinho
Nov 15, 2023 at 8:04 PM
Comment #158FFP,
See you in court, with every other club in the league, precedent has already been set,a couple of transfer windows ban and a fine.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 15, 2023 at 8:10 PM
Comment #159Flurzinho,
Tell that to Darren Eales who is an expert on FFP, it was obvious to everyman and his dog and especially to Eddie H who has known him pretty much all his career, that CW was more than just injury prone. It was a calculated gamble which hasn’t paid off, it did last season but unfortunately not this. Maybe they will decide to write Wilson off as third choice and spend big on an established striker but I doubt it very much, I think the plan is and will continue to be, extend Wilson’s contract to 2025 while a forward in the mould of Hall/Tino bed in. Maybe they already have him lined up but we’re waiting until next summer, maybe we up the ante and buy him in January instead.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 15, 2023 at 8:11 PM
Comment #160Raj – also, Welbeck can play out wide.
It’s something I’ve said the whole time, if we consider 2 players per position apart from 3 goalkeepers then that’s 23 players already. To provide additional cover, it’s vital we have players who can cover multiple positions. Howe himself has said this too.
Gordon and Joelinton can cover centre forward so we have cover. Someone better than them in that position would cost a fortune and likely not be happy staying 3rd choice.
The big problem is our injury list, including Wilson constantly getting injured. I think Wilson is class when he’s fit but I am also finding it very frustrating that he’s not available enough.