St Patrick’s 0-2 Newcastle: Longstaff scores on his debut as NUFC win pre-season opener

Newcastle started pre-season off with a win in Dublin tonight, seeing off Irish Premier League side St Patrick’s Athletic 2-0 thanks to goals from Sean Longstaff and Christian Atsu.

As always with any pre-season opener, it was a run out for the purposes of fitness more than anything, however the game was still played at a half decent intensity, with both sides pressing and getting stuck in.

The highlight was Longstaff for me. Not only did he take his goal well – a nicely time volley in off the post – he did things quickly, with a lot of first team passes, and played with his head up. Always showed for the ball and made plenty forward runs into good areas when we were in possession.

Victor Fernandez and Callum Roberts – who played a half each – both looked bright considering they were being played out of position at right-back and left-back and ex-Everton youngster Yarney looked solid enough at the back. Armstrong also grew into it late on and showed good pace.

Aarons didn’t really take his opportunity to impress – and you get the feeling he’s running out of time to do that. Ran a little aimlessly with the ball and was quite cheap in possession.

In terms of the more senior players, Diame looked in good knick and pressed well early on, Kenedy was bright and smashed the bar with a cracking effort from range and Atsu looked very bright – with him taking men, playing a big part in us winning the penalty and converting from the spot.

Gayle and Joselu frustrated a little. Plenty effort but I’m not sure they hit the target once despite having about 4/5 shots between them.

Darlow and Sels didn’t have a single save to make but neither looked all that convincing, with the former almost missing his kick and the latter’s only contribution being to flap at a cross.

NUFC XI – (4-2-3-1): Darlow, – Fernandez, Lejeune, Yarney, Manquillo – Diamé, Longstaff – Ritchie, Pérez, Aarons – Joselu.

Subs: Sels, Dúbravka, Yedlin, Clark, Shelvey, Atsu, Kenedy, Roberts, Armstrong, Gayle. (Everyone but Dubravka played the entire second half)

A decent little run out for the lads. Hull City away next up in a weeks’ time.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

209 thoughts on “St Patrick’s 0-2 Newcastle: Longstaff scores on his debut as NUFC win pre-season opener

  1. It is hard to judge MLS because of the quality of the league but these 2 at Atlanta are South Americans and not through the American college system where most of the best athletes get poached by Baseball and NFL. From a very small sample this Martinez kid might be worth a look.

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  2. I will continue my US scouting. From this I would not take a chance on Almiron. Foden had a quiet game yesterday but I would still loan him if he becomes available. The Citeh player that showed promise was their centre forward Lucas Nmecha.

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  3. This Gayle to WBA story looks like bollocks. I can understand us saying we would throw in Aarons and then WBA probably came back and said – how about Gayle? But why would we when we could sell Gayle for more and fund a buyout. It makes absolutely no sense except WBA chancing their arm. But now it will probably take on a life of its own as it gets repeated.

    Remember it is The Chronic’s journalistic DUTY to repeat BS.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5977659/Newcastle-West-Brom-discussing-Dwight-Gayle-makeweight-Salomon-Rondon-deal.html

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  4. Some Croatian dude available on a free linked with us now – is that gonna be the case with all free transfers like?!
    How long before Jack Rodwell is being mentioned?!

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  5. Wait a minute. Didn’t Rafa say on like Tuesday that it wasn’t a matter of if we get a striker, it was when?

    Now this supporters group has started up and although I think they have good intensions I think maybe they should have waited. Now there is only negativity around NUFC. Probably justified but I fear if you try to force Ashley’s hand he will just dig in more.

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  6. All of this just sails over Ashley’s head. He’s just not interested in NUFC at all.

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  7. Eric Sykes:
    Wait a minute. Didn’t Rafa say on like Tuesday that it wasn’t a matter of if we get a striker, it was when?

    Now this supporters group has started up and although I think they have good intensions I think maybe they should have waited. Now there is only negativity around NUFC. Probably justified but I fear if you try to force Ashley’s hand he will just dig in more.

    Nah, he’s gonna act like a ***** anyway so I say crack on with the protest, at least it’ll make folk feel better .

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  8. Would we swap Gayle for Rondon ? don’t think I would tbh.
    That has to be bollocks .
    That would leave Rondon and Joselu with Mitro gone presumably , bloody hell, do I not like that.

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  9. If the issue really is that Ashley won’t release funds until Rafa signs a new contract – and Rafa doesn’t trust Ashley enough to release those funds – surely the answer is some kind of pre-contract agreement signed by Ashley to say that if funds aren’t given, the contract is not binding.
    The obviously snag to that plan is Ashley committing to a pre-contract agreement – but someone has to blink first here and the reality is that Ashley has the most to loose here.

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  10. NUFC 360 Retweeted

    NUFC Fans United‏ @NUFCFansUtd · 13h13 hours ago

     More

    The sky narrative that Rafa is stubborn is absolutely correct.
    He stubbornly wants #nufc to be successful
    He stubbornly wants to build something we can be proud of
    We love stubborn. RT if you agree

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  11. well to me jabba saying ill give you 100mil if you sign a contract amounts to blackmail imo

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  12. I think if the club had a big budget to spend, then it would be invested in the squad regardless of whether Rafa signs or not, because common sense dictates that this squad will Struggle as it stands regardless of whoever is manager. I think maybe the wider issue is that Rafa wants investment in things like the Academy and training etc. Maybe the Big Bosses disagree with that strategy?

    The inactivity is alarming. I cant believe the club is being so naive and they really need to pull their finger out.

    Screw the contract. The fact is they hsve a world class manager for the next season. Give him some decent players and allow him to stabilise the club on the pitch, thus ensuring a much higher chance of having a stable, consistent squad which is profitable and stays in the PL where the big bucks are moving forward into the future regardless of who is manager.

    Why risk it? Why hand over a poor quality squad, maybe in the Championship maybe not, to a new manager who will be tasked with creating a new playing identity, stabilising the quslity of the squad and trying to attract good players who have watched the club squander the best chance it has had in 15 years to grow and be something under a world class manager.

    Nobody worth their salt who is not a mercenary will want this join this club in the next 5 years if Rafa is not here overseing a march forward, or at least having seen that the club recognises when it is vulnerable and invests appropriately in order to compete at a sufficient level, when a renowned manager has warned tgat failure to do so means epic struggle. Why do that?

    I just dont understand it. He us running the club un the same way he runs SD, but its not a like for like business. Surely he knows that after10 years and 2 relegations? Surely he knows investing now with a world class Rafa Benitez at the helm is nkt even remotely the ssme risk as the time he invested under the Wally with the Brolly?!

    Come on MA, wake up ffs or its welcome to the Championship all over again, with the clubs value falling and a massive rebuilding project all over again.

    As for this protest thing. Whats the point if ppl keep renewing ST’s? He wont give a toss.

    There us still timeti save this, but yet again the club is cutting it fine and the signs and noises frim Rafa are not exactly reassuring.

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  13. Ice – I just think it’s all getting a bit petty and pathetic now like. I said the only person with anything to loose was Ashley – but actually it’s us fans. Rafa will eventually walk away, Ashley will have £100m in his back pocket and we’ll have a team playing Championship football again, still with a fat ***** at the helm and god knows who managing a bunch of disgruntled players – the best of whom will either have left or looking to.

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  14. That £100m is over 3 years ICE, so pretty poor really, plus no promises to upgrade academy or training complex.
    We are acting like a league one club at the moment, it’s clear Ashley has zero ambition for the club and wants to do the minimum to sustain PL status whilst exposing SD globally . The only thing that makes this club appealing to would be buyers is Rafa and the fact that at the moment it’s a PL club. That will change by may 2019 on both counts I think, there will be many that will walk away at that point and he’ll have himself to blame.
    I would happily see him take the whole £125m tv money and sell for £275m that’s his £400m right there.
    We would struggle but Rafa would have massive incentive to keep us up under new owners.

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  15. Shamrock:
    I think if the club had a big budget to spend, then it would be invested in the squad regardless of whether Rafa signs or not, because common sense dictates that this squad willStruggle as it stands regardless of whoever is manager. I think maybe the wider issue is that Rafa wants investment in things like the Academy and training etc. Maybe the Big Bosses disagree with that strategy?

    The inactivity is alarming. I cant believe the club is being so naive and they really need to pull their finger out.

    Screw the contract. The fact is they hsve a world class manager for the next season. Give him some decent players and allow him to stabilise the club on the pitch, thus ensuring a much higher chance of having a stable, consistent squad which is profitable and stays in the PL where the big bucks are moving forward into the future regardless of who is manager.

    Why risk it? Why hand over a poor quality squad, maybe in the Championship maybe not, to a new manager who will be tasked with creating a new playing identity, stabilising the quslity of the squad and trying to attract good players who have watched the club squander the best chance it has had in 15 years to grow and be something under a world class manager.

    Nobody worth their salt who is not a mercenary will want this join this club in the next 5 years if Rafa is not here overseing a march forward, or at least having seen that the club recognises when it is vulnerable and invests appropriately in order to compete at a sufficient level, when a renowned manager has warned tgat failure to do so means epic struggle. Why do that?

    I just dont understand it. He us running the club un the same way he runs SD, but its not a like for like business. Surely he knows that after10 years and 2 relegations? Surely he knows investing now with a world class Rafa Benitez at the helm is nkt even remotely the ssme risk as the time he invested under the Wally with the Brolly?!

    Come on MA, wake up ffs or its welcome to the Championship all over again, with the clubs value falling and a massive rebuilding project all over again.

    As for this protest thing. Whats the point if ppl keep renewing ST’s? He wont give a toss.

    There us still timeti save this, but yet again the club is cutting it fine and the signs and noises frim Rafa are not exactly reassuring.

    Sham – I think we have 2 people who don’t want to give an inch. I imagine someone like Ashley doesn’t let a small thing like common sense get in the way of his stubbornness – he’d sooner cut his nose off!!.
    I think he’s stupid enough to think ‘it doesn’t matter if we don’t spend now, coz we’ve got £100m to spend in Jan if we are fighting relegation’.

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  16. £100m over 3 seasons ?? That’s £16m a window. That might get a average left back.

    Rafa wants money to improve the academy and training ground. That should happen regardless of who the manager is so that shows Jabba’s intentions. He wants to spend so little on the club and just see it bobble along.

    If someone buys the club the longer Jabba is here will mean the more any new owner would need to spend. It’s a vicious circle. Only direct fan action can save this club now.

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  17. Deoends if that 100m is on top of what the club generates as profit?

    Either eay its all words at the moment, which is the Status Quo.

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  18. this could be *****,but theres a guy on facebook has said him and his wife were out for a meal in London and jabba came in and he spoke to him saying he was very nice asked about transfers jabba would say little except to say wait until tues or wed and you will see the rags are talking rubbish,do i think its right NO,but ill wait and see if its the **** i think it is,the guy did say he was not a toon fan but was thinking about his own club and just wanted to talk to jabba to say he had met him. big bloody deal ffs

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  19. icedog:
    this could be *****,but theres a guy on facebook has said him and his wife were out for a meal in London and jabba came in and he spoke to him saying he was very nice asked about transfers jabba would say little except to say wait until tues or wed and you will see the rags are talking rubbish,do i think its right NO,but ill wait and see if its the **** i think it is,the guy did say he was not a toon fan but was thinking about his own club and just wanted to talk to jabba to say he had met him. big bloody deal ffs

    Ice , that’s a joke mate , the guy is from gallowgate shots and posted that day or so ago along with a photo to show him meeting Jabba but it’s a photo from a year ago that our very own Olly used as a header to an article. The guy in the photo has a hooded parka on ffs, it’s 26c at night at the moment. The lads who posted it has been getting pelters for winding up the fans and loads unfollowing him cause of it.

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  20. Ice – it is highly likely to be a load of rubbish.
    However , there could well be transfer news on Tuesday or Wednesday , probably announcing that Mbemba and Mitrovic have been sold.

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  21. So it was WBA chancing their arm with Gayle. Why don’t these journalists just say something like that instead of sensationalizing everything. Some may say that is their job but I would say they have much more credibility if they said something like- NUFC offered Aarons as a makeweight in a Rondon deal but WBA asked about Gayle. With NUFC short on numbers upfront, this is very unlikely to happen.

    They can still have their sensationalized headline but at least can retain a bit of credibility.

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  22. Eric Sykes:
    So it was WBA chancing their arm with Gayle. Why don’t these journalists just say something like that instead of sensationalizing everything. Some may say that is their job but I would say they have much more credibility if they said something like-NUFC offered Aarons as a makeweight in a Rondon deal but WBA asked about Gayle. With NUFC short on numbers upfront, this is very unlikely to happen.

    They can still have their sensationalized headline but at least can retain a bit of credibility.

    what do they know about credibilty nixi-plus

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  23. see Rooney got pulled off in his first game,team beaten 3-1,good start from mr wonderful, not

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  24. Is anybody excited about anybody we are supposedly looking at? Rondon, a 1 in 4 striker, freebies and MLS. Maybe a couple of sales will free up some money and allow us to be a bit more ambitious. It may be wishful thinking but I doubt the Fatman will hold back the sales proceeds.

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  25. icedog:
    see Rooney got pulled off in his first game,team beaten 3-1,good start from mr wonderful, not

    Ice: I watched it and Rooney played as a lone striker and was ***** and managed to have an argument with the Ref. It was about 33 degrees. He’ll see that for about the next month and I think he will struggle. I am waiting for the crowd to turn.

    I watched because we are linked with an Atlanta striker but his partner, Martinez, looked much better and scored a hattrick.

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  26. Eric Sykes:
    Is anybody excited about anybody we are supposedly looking at? Rondon, a 1 in 4 striker, freebies and MLS. Maybe a couple of sales will free up some money and allow us to be a bit more ambitious. It may be wishful thinking but I doubt the Fatman will hold back the sales proceeds.

    this left full back from Bristol seems a canny player held his own against M/U in the cup game,but its striker and no10 we need

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  27. Ice, re that fella and his tweet, I cannot for the life of me see why you would do that to fellow fans. There is enough tension without building false hope.

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  28. Ice, they reckon a £6m bid for Joe Bryan but that’s where the rumour falls down as I know that Lansdown values him between 10 -£12m.
    And as you say it’s a forward we need first and foremost .

    Eric , no mate I’m not excited by anyone we been linked with so far, though Bryan is a solid defender I have to admit.

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  29. Looks like Golovin off to Chelsea. I might revisit Waugh’s 8 to watch at the WC after the transfer window closes and see where they end up. See if I was correct in ridiculing him. So far, so good 🙂

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  30. Kimtoon: I can’t even be bothered to look up who some of the links are anymore as they seem either underwhelming or BS (or both).

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  31. Eric, I don’t believe any of them and haven’t for several windows now, especially if it’s a decent player or well known player cause Mike just doesn’t spend to warrant it.
    Me and Stu have predicted a poor window for quite a few windows now and been ridiculed as doomsday merchants but sadly have been right each time. I stopped believing a leopard changes it’s spots about 5 years ago I reckon, no matter how many interviews that duplicitous piece of work orchestrates with sky .I could yet be wrong though and my humble pie is still waiting to be eaten but I know it will ultimately go stale .

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  32. Craig Hope at The Daily Mail is usually one of the more reliable tabloid journalists and must be on holiday. The Gayle to WBA was put up by someone called Simon Jones. He wrote another BS story last week so I will not be believing anything he writes. Maybe West Brom asked about Gayle but they had zero chance of getting him.

    Now The Mail are saying McGuire to Man U for 65 million. Last week it was 50. It is unbelievable how they can be so blasé about adding 15 million quid.

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  33. just shows how dumb some of these rags,one states we are about to sign Cheeke on loan from Chelsea ffs

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  34. icedog:
    just shows how dumb some of these rags,one states we are about to sign Cheeke on loan from Chelsea ffs

    that been doing the rounds since window opened .

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  35. WHY DOES RAFA BENITEZ WANT INVESTMENT IN NUFC INFRASTRUCTURE??

    Hall & Shepherd acquired all of NUFC shares in 91/92 and between 91/92-06/07 invested £112m in infrastructure

    Since 07/08-16/17 Mike Ashley has invested £3m

    In 10 years, £3m!!!

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  36. Ashley better be careful or else he will be giving a new Manager money to invest in the Championship.

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  37. Stuart said about 3 weeks ago before Rafa made all of these statements that he wouldn’t get any of the TV money. I still think we will get a decent striker because Rafa said one was imminent. I also think he we get the sales proceeds. The question is, how do they count that:

    1. is it the headline value so if we get 20 million for Mitro can we can spend 20 million as the headline on another player? Everybody knows what this means but NUFC like to play games and

    2. include the Agent fee and signing bonus in this number, which reduces what the actual headline value was. Or.

    3. Include the full contract wages so they say they are spending 20 million when the headline value is really 10 million + 10 million in wages. Of course the player going out would also have to be paid, but…

    In Ashley and Charnley’s new maths we really don’t have a clue what Rafa will have to spend and I don’t think Rafa does either.

    This is even without getting into lump sum versus instalment payments.

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  38. I am also a bit depressed about how Fatman is saying that a new Manager would want his own players and he would be putting money aside. We all know this is a complete lie and the only reason I believe it was even mentioned is it was by Caulkin and not Ryder, Waugh or any of the other tabloid hacks.

    But when Rafa leaves he takes all of the scouting and transfer infrastructure with him so the new manager starts from scratch. Does that mean we also get a new sporting director? And who does Ashley know to fill that role? Who does Charnley or Barnes or Bishop know? NOBODY.

    But I am getting ahead of myself. I believe that the players that Rafa would bring in would be suitable for any new manager because the way we play is now dictated by how the top teams play. They all play the high press (including Sarri, but maybe not Jose) so we have to set up for the counter and pick players accordingly. We also play a mini-Rafa version of the high press during periods of the game so we need high energy players. We also want the flexibility of a back 3 or back 4 so we need mobile centre halfs and someone who can defend set pieces. Of course there would be hits and misses.

    Every non-top six has their own version of this, even the high-press-light teams like Huddersfield and Bournemouth because they know their best chance is to hit the top teams on the break.

    We will occasionally dominate like we did against Chelsea but it is more likely to be the other way around like against Citeh and Liverpool.

    What I am saying is our current and future system will dictate the players so why not give Rafa the money when we know a new manager would play the same way.

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  39. Also, this is so ****-easy to figure out that you would think Ashley just wants it to fail. Give Rafa all of the proceeds from sales plus another 30 million from TV. Then when he is fairly happy you can negotiate his contract with a downpayment of say 15 million to get work started on new facilities. We all know it will take years to complete so you make it known that future monies comes from the transfer and wage budget.

    It is so simple that it is infuriating that they are pissing around.

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  40. Villa almost went to the wall. They were days away from missing payroll before 2 billionaires bailed them out. They are still selling their 2 best players. Shows you how big of a mess the Mackems are in being in a lower league, with the 2 chancers in charge and Short wanting the parachute payment with the 1st instalment in Sept.

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  41. Eric, Jabba includes wages, signing on fees and agent fees in his transfer fees and budgets. It’s almost like no other clubs have here commitments… 😯

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  42. and probably sandwiches too Stuart!
    This continued uncertainty and portrayal of a club in crisis can do us nothing but harm. Players and agents do read the papers you know! Anybody thinking of coming to play for Rafa will know what a mess we’re currently in and give us a wide berth.
    Are things as bad as portrayed? I’m not sure as I’ve said many times I just don’t trust the journalists.

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  43. So Everton are spending more than our whole transfer budget on Richarlison. I don’t know what to say. I watched him a few times and he goes from brilliant to invisible. 2nd half of the season was mainly invisible.

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  44. Eric Sykes:
    So Everton are spending more than our whole transfer budget on Richarlison. I don’t know what to say. I watched him a few times and he goes from brilliant to invisible. 2nd half of the season was mainly invisible.

    Eric – did Silva take him to Watford?, can’t remember now, but that would explain why they want him so much.
    I’d agree though, there’s no way he’s £50m, but then I wouldn’t have paid £45m for Sigurdson either – good player but probably £15m more than what I reckon he’s worth.

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  45. I see today’s rags have us looking to loan Welbeck now – not to worry though, we’d still bring Rondon in as well.

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  46. Sharpy17: Eric – did Silva take him to Watford?, can’t remember now, but that would explain why they want him so much.
    I’d agree though, there’s no way he’s £50m, but then I wouldn’t have paid £45m for Sigurdson either – good player but probably £15m more than what I reckon he’s worth.

    Yeah he did sharpy and for not very much either if I remember, massive profit on him for Watford .

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  47. The Chronicle‏Verified account @ChronicleNUFC · 6m6 minutes ago

     More

    No #nufc approach for Welbeck, we understand:

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  48. kimtoon:
    sharpy, they paid £11m in 2017 for him

    Kim – profits like that should spur Ashley on to invest in players. He’s concerned that the next manager might not want the players Rafa brings in, but if he can turn a profit of £40m on player, the new manager gets a tidy packet to spend.
    I know £40m is extreme and not likely with most players, but you get my drift.

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  49. kimtoon:
    The Chronicle‏Verified account @ChronicleNUFC · 6m6 minutes ago

     More

    No #nufc approach for Welbeck, we understand:

    Kim – he’s on £100k pw wages, so it’s highly unlikely he’ll turn up. I think Origi is a possible – but will depend on the lad and where he wants to be I reckon.

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