Transfer Deadline Day: Any Rabbit's In The Hat?

With the transfer window closing at 7pm tonight, and no rumours of any incoming singings, Ross Wilson will need to magic up the proverbial rabbit from a hat to placate those fans who have been calling, at the very least, for a full back reinforcement.

This is what Wilson had to say prior to the transfer window "Can we spend in January? Yes. If we want to, we can. I think it’s fairly obvious to everybody given the level of club spend in the summer that we’re not going to do that again in the winter window as well, for a variety of reasons."

Last week before the PSG game, Eddie Howe ruled out loan deals and rumours of a free transfer approach for out of contract ex-Chelsea man Kurt Zouma appear to be just that; an unfounded media rumour.

One confirmed outgoing transfer is that of club captain and Toon stalwart Jamaal Lascelles who will end 12 years of service to Newcastle United with a deadline day move to Leicester City. Jamaal goes with our best wishes and thanks for always giving 100% to the club and in his performances, he also bagged a few important goals as well.

Alfie Harrison is another who could exit today with Birmingham and Malaga having expressed interest.

Planning for the summer window needs to start now

After the debacle of last summer's transfer window Ross Wilson, Eddie Howe and the NUFC hierarchy need to get their act together now for this summer.

We want no repeat of the failings that resulted in the wrong targets being prioritised and inflated fees being paid for second and third choice players.

The focus on signing players from Premier League clubs needs to be replaced with identifying better value for money and less wage hungry players from abroad. Brentford and Bournemouth are the masters at doing this. Why can't we?

We've done it before with Bruno and Botman, and last summer with Thiaw. Players who weren't targeted by the Big 6 and who have increased significantly in value. Ramsey, Wissa and especially Elanga wouldn't bring anywhere near their fees if they were to be sold.

This season isn't a write off... yet

The last three PL games have added just one point to our tally but have still left us just 7 points off 5th place - which could yet be enough to qualify again for the CL.

Those fans saying that we have no chance of finishing as high as 5th say so with good reason. But, Eddie Howe and the squad won't have written off their chances and, as unlikely as a run of good form and wins seems at the moment, it's not impossible.

Barring a miracle, retaining the Carabou Cup seems a lost cause and Eddie may even decide to rest key players for the more important PL, CL play-offs and Aston Villa FA Cup games.

On the CL; we should be odds on to get past Qarabag and into the last 16 knock out stage. Eddie and the squad have produced their best form in this competition and, who knows, we could continue in that vein. Whatever the outcome, we've done well.

The FA Cup; Aston Villa away is a tough one especially after how easily they took the three points at SJP. However, Villa aren't invincible as their 1-0 home defeat to ten man Brentford proved.

So, don't write this season off. Yet.

To paraphrase Mark Twain...

Rumours of our death are greatly exaggerated.

For the time being at least.

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