Planning For The Summer Transfer Window Must Start NOW.

I hope that a plan of identifying overseas players who will cost less in transfer fees and wages is already well under way. For whatever reason, and whoever was responsible, the mistakes of last summer cannot be repeated.

Last summer proved that chasing top Prem players who are also the targets of the Big 6 is almost a total waste of time.

We missed out on Pedro, Mbuemo and Trafford and ended up with Wissa, Elanga and Ramsdale on loan. Players that that none of the Big 6 were interested in. I wonder why? Not.

£100M + high wages and loan fees that has proven rank bad value for money.

Those in power also have to bin the idea that only young players ie., under 25, are worthy of consideration.

Pope, Trippier and Burn have been three of our best and most influential signings and cost a total of less than £50M. They may be past their best now but when signed their effect on the team was immediate not just on the field but also in the dressing room.

I hope our best players stay but, as the Isak and countless other saga's have proved, if players decide they want away then history shows they nearly always end up leaving.

My stance on Isak before the end of last season was that his intentions had to be flushed out. Three years remaining on his contract was irrelevant if he made it known he wanted to leave.

He should have been offered a new contract on the best wages we could offer and if he turned it down the truth was staring us in the face. Plans should have then been made immediately to sell him and start an auction at the start of the window.

The debacle that followed was entirely down to not taking that action.

That must not happen again with the likes of Tonali and Tino.

If the powers that be want to avoid that - offer them the best contracts we can now.

If they refuse to sign their intentions are obvious. Get them sold.

Selling Tonali and/or Tino, is only a massive step back if we waste the fees we bring in.

Teams like Brentford and Bournemouth have proven that there are relatively low cost gems abroad that can step straight into the PL.

They invested wisely in the big fees they got when selling their top players and the effect of those players leaving has been minimal, if any.

Hopkinson, Wilson and Eddie Howe need to replicate that strategy and the planning needs to start now.

The advantage Newcastle have is that - if the players we identify as targets are only wanted by teams outside of the Big 6 - we are likely to be their preferred choice.

That will make a massive change from the situation we were in last summer.

Unless massive improvements are seen in squad performance between now and the end of May a reset in the squad may be needed to prevent another season like this one.

Brave decisions may be required.

Hopkinson, Wilson and Eddie will be judged on getting those decisions right.

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