We expect the Newcastle owners to plunge into the transfer market in January to help Eddie Howe and his players out in the second half of the season.
Newcastle have gone back to the days of old when we always had the most injuries of any Premier League club.
And that’s true now, with Newcastle having 12 players out including Sandro Tonali with his 10-month ban, and Lewis Hall who is not allowed to play against his old club Chelsea in our next game, on 25th November at home.
The next highest injuries and suspensions in the Premier League are Manchester United and Tottenham with 10 each on the Premier League injury site.
We have both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, our two strikers, out injured now but we expect Isak to be able to return for our next game against the Blues – that is welcome news indeed.
Both of them have a poor injury record at Newcastle, and it would seem to make sense if we brought in an out-and-out striker in January.
Newcastle have been scouting 20-year-old striker Marcos Leonardo, the Brazilian U20 striker who plays for Santos.
And we have reported that the Newcastle recruitment team, led by Sporting Director Dan Ashworth, have already made contact with Santos on a potential deal.
Newcastle United are favorites to sign the young striker and the reports are that we would be prepared to spend £15M to sign the 20-year-old, which is a little below the £20M Santos value their player at.
Real Madrid are also interested in signing the player, and we should expect top clubs going after the our transfer targets since we are now among the big boys.
And Newcastle are much more attractive to new players than we were before our ambitious owners bought the club a couple of years ago for around £300M from the former owner.
That’s even though the weather has not changed in Newcastle.
🙂
And we have made massive strides over the last two years, and Newcastle United are now known globally, as much as we were in the heady days when Sir Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan managed the club.
Leonardo has scored 21 goals in 45 games for Santos during 2023, and in total he has played 164 games with 54 goals and 11 assists since he made his debut for Santos back in August of 2020.
That’s an excellent record for one so young.
It would seem we should be able come up with the £15M to sign this future superstar in January, and if that’s true it would be £15M (or even £20M) well spent.
What do you think?
159 comments so far
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 7:45 PM
Comment #1Taco Time
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 7:49 PM
Comment #2I see Ed thinks another striker makes sense!
NY Mag
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:04 PM
Comment #3Taco,
I never said it didn’t make sense…although I’m not entirely sure we’ll sign one in January 🙂
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:13 PM
Comment #4NY I never said you did but it has been a debate that has been on here since summer at least. I would be chuffed if we did sign striker and he looks like someone who may fit the profile in terms of age and price.
Davas
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:16 PM
Comment #5Taco
From previous, Tuchel was fined £20000 under the same rule so I’m not sure that is correct.
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:27 PM
Comment #6Davas,
Actually just checked and the document I was looking at was on the net was years old so that figure is probably wrong.
NY Mag
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:29 PM
Comment #7Taco,
Sorry if I sounded defensive, I didn’t mean it to come across that way.
It is an interesting debate, in my opinion I don’t think the club will be looking to sign a 3rd choice striker, I think they’ll be looking to sign a 1st choice striker, whether they’ll be available in January is a different matter
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:33 PM
Comment #8Watching Liechtenstein vs Portugal, almost half time and it is 0-0!! Ronaldo look well pissed off! This is like not getting a result away at Vatican City!
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:36 PM
Comment #9For me we will definitely be looking to bring in another striker whether in January or the summer.
Wilson is a superb striker and I’ve always said he is one of the best in the league and he has been an incredible signing for us. He will go down as one of the greats here.
The clear and worrying factor is the constant injuries. You know that each season there will be a period or two that we will lose him and it’s always a concern. When injury free he is a really fit athlete who is in incredible shape but it’s his muscles that are the problem. Shame as that can’t be fixed.
Eddie loves him but we also have the owners who have a huge say in matters and they are looking to be sat on the pinnacle of the footballing world. They will be watching and know we need more reinforcements up top and will surely be concerned with the injuries and will have to act. It’s not worth the risk.
A young CF like Leonardo in January and a big splash on a top striker in the summer makes great sense
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:36 PM
Comment #10I cannot believe some posts,we do not need another striker,FFS we have not got a fit one.
You don’t score you don’t win!
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:37 PM
Comment #11NY Mag,
No worries mate. I can’t see us getting a first choice striker anytime soon, surely that is Isaks role. I do think a good u21 striker to provide cover for Wilson and potentially take his place in a year would be a good idea in Jan though.
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:39 PM
Comment #12Do not be surprised if we chuck big coin on a striker in January and balance the books elsewhere!
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:41 PM
Comment #13FFP/related party transactions?
See you in court in 5 years!
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:42 PM
Comment #14Flur
Can’t see that in January mate as it’s hard enough in the summer but in the winter window prices are even more fluctuated. I suppose only time will tell tho pal. I do think we will bring in a few players tho
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:43 PM
Comment #15“BREAKING NEWS”.
Newcastle are not permitted to have a goalkeeper!
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:45 PM
Comment #16To balance the books who could we sell in Jan for good money without weakening the squad?
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:46 PM
Comment #17Taco
Nobody mate
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:47 PM
Comment #18Mund,
Mate,I am just sick of the total shithousery of the so called “big 6”.
What are they worried about?
Full house?
Noisy fans?
Club in the city that lives and breathes football?
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:48 PM
Comment #19Mund,
Yeah that is my thinking too.
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:49 PM
Comment #20Flur
Don’t let it get to you mate as it will be even more the sweeter when we take all their crowns.
In the end it will be even better!
Only one club I really respect and that’s City. They took on the entitled lot and now sit on top of the football pyramid. Foot them all as they can huff and puff but they won’t stop this monster that’s roaring on up
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:50 PM
Comment #21I would sell;
Wilson,Manquillo,Krafth,Dummett,Ritchie,Dubravka.
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:51 PM
Comment #22Dubs is a good shout but also risky if anything happens to Pope
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:52 PM
Comment #23What do you think we can get for Wilson in the summer?
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:55 PM
Comment #24Mund,
Yeah that is my thinking too.
Flurz,
So you sell all of them (assuming you can find a buyer) to buy a striker? That would leave us 2 players down for Europe (Dummett and Dubs) and 5 players down for our PL squad.
NY Mag
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:55 PM
Comment #25We got £15M for wood…..we can probably get our money back on Wilson 🙂
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:57 PM
Comment #26Mund,
£20m max IMO – probably less.
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:57 PM
Comment #27Mund,
I know mate, but they did not hobble City or Chelsea,the way they are trying to hold us back in the real world would be illegal!
Restraint of trade/monopoly/oligopoly any opoly apart from totopoly
Quite sickening!
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 8:58 PM
Comment #28NY Mag,
But Forest won’t buy players from us anymore 😀
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:01 PM
Comment #29Can anybody remember the summer of 2022.
We had no money?
Isak £63M,how do you like that?
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:01 PM
Comment #30Flur
Look at it like this mate.
Look at all they’ve done and still are doing to try to stop us but step back mate and see…
In Eddie Howe’s first full season he gets us to a cup final and the lights of the CL… 2 years ahead of schedule even with these restraints and huffs and puffs by the crying entitled lot.
It don’t matter pal as they won’t stop us…
It’s inevitability
The Taco Taker
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:02 PM
Comment #31Flurz,
They did not hobble Chelsea as it (huge money) was new. It could be argued that FFP was brought in the slow Citeh down. They can slow us down a tad but they can’t stop us!!
Mund
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:03 PM
Comment #32Yea I think we could get our money back.
Someone like a Forest who just got promoted and are willing to splash the cash. Could even get better wages for a couple of years
NY Mag
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:04 PM
Comment #33Taco,
LOL
We’ll have to find the new forest
(Maybe in Saudi Arabia)
Certain Toon
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:07 PM
Comment #34The loonies and their 2 years ahead nonsense. In football it never follows an upward trajectory its always up and down up and down.
The loonies going about 2 years ahead think we will keep on rising without any hiccups along the way.
But they never put down exactly what each of these yearly steps are.
I mean from which season can we expect to challenge for trophies exactly if we are 2 years ahead.
If we are 2 years ahead where exactly should we be right now?
Doesnt even make sense
The Mighty Quinn
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:14 PM
Comment #35I wouldn’t be selling anybody in our squad in January, saleable asset or not. However 3 players I think will be dropped from the squad to make room for 3 incomings in January.
Tonali
Ritchie
Gillespie
Incoming players
Marcos Leonardo £15 millionish.
Kalvin Phillips loan.
Jarrad Branthwaite £25 million.
martoon
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:15 PM
Comment #36Out of desperation I’m watching Slovakia v Iceland – it’s actually quite a decent game but the reason I mention it is that Dubravka has looked extremely shaky – he’s had a couple of dodgy moments that he was fortunate to get away with and even the home fans were getting nervous every time Iceland were attacking. It’s all forgotten now as Slovakia are winning 4 – 1 but worrying for us Toon fans!
A Geordie Mongrel
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:18 PM
Comment #37So Marcos Leonardo ticks a lot of boxes and looks decent on the old Dennis Wise. Not the tallest but looks decent on the ball and is a tidy finisher. Better than some options being bandied about. Also right footed and already wears black and white.
Flurzinho
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:20 PM
Comment #38They can slow us down but they won’t stop us,I just hope red faced Ferguson is still alive to see it.
We need to build a “La Masia” in the toon, the best team I ever saw was the Barca team that came through that academy.
Messi,Xavi,Iniesta.
Tiny men, football giants!
The Mighty Quinn
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:23 PM
Comment #39Although Leonardo wouldn’t take a squad place up so you could leave Ritchie in.
lochinvar
Nov 16, 2023 at 9:23 PM
Comment #40Send him to the Sunday League u til he grows up.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been charged by the Football Association for comments he made after their 1-0 defeat by Newcastle.
Arteta, 41, called the video assistant referee’s (VAR) decision to allow Newcastle’s goal “embarrassing” and a “disgrace”.
Anthony Gordon’s goal had three VAR checks and all were adjudged in Newcastle’s favour.
Arteta has until Tuesday to respond to the charge.
“It’s alleged that his comments constitute misconduct as they are insulting towards match officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or bring the game into disrepute,” the FA statement said.