The positives and negatives from NUFC’s frustrating summer transfer window – Do you agree?

With the transfer window now officially over, we now have the small matter of Tottenham to look forward to at St James’ Park on Saturday, but first, here’s an assessment of our summer.

It’s largely been yet another incredibly frustrating few months for Benitez, but here’s a few positives we can take from it all as we try to look ahead to the new Premier League season:

  • Kenedy & Dubravka are back – albeit one is only a loan, but to have both back with us is a huge boost.
  • Our centre-back options are now stronger. Lejeune may be injured, but Fernandez and Schar look like very solid buys.
  • Rondon and Muto a definite upgrade Joselu and Gayle – two players who scored just 10 goals combined last season
  • Ki Sung-Yeung a very handy signing – Looks very tidy player, bringing quality and much needed Premier League experience.
  •  Lascelles still here. We couldn’t afford to lose him, but at least we didn’t have an Andy Carroll-esque deadline day.
  • Rafa still here. It may end up being his last season, but
  •  Plenty deadwood and want-away players now sold. Colback, Merino and Mitrovic didn’t want to be here..
  • Our squad HAS improved. It’s marginal and it’s not good enough, but I’m hoping we’ll be better in a few key areas as a result.

Now to the negatives:

  • -£20m net spend. How is this acceptable after the TV deals and the sales in excess of £40m? Where is the money Mike?
  • In comparison, just look at how the likes of West Ham, Wolves and Fulham have spent. Polar opposites in terms of ambition and backing.
  • Transfer record not broke yet AGAIN – Very few quality players will not come cheaper than £17m in this day and age.
  • Rafa not allowed to sign top targets..AGAIN – I wonder how many of our seven signings were high on Rafa’s wish-list?
  • No proven goalscorer not signed  – Rondon and Muto could do well, but neither have got into double figures in last three seasons. A stat that says it all. 
  • No full-back competition signed – Yedlin needed a right-back who could threaten his place in the starting 11 and we were in desperate need of cover for Dummett. Our only senior full-back to compete with these two is Javier Manquillo. Worrying. 
  • No new No 10  – What happens if Perez gets injured? This is an area Rafa has wanted to strengthen for years now..
  • Rafa dejected and a million miles away from signing a new deal. He’ll fight until the end but he will not be a happy man. 
  • Kenedy and Rondon only loans. The former could be priced out of a move if he impresses and the latter seems unlikely to sign even if he does well, with Ashley so reluctant to sign players nearing 30 on permanent deals. 
  • We had to sell to buy. Would’ve preferred to keep Gayle in circumstances, but seems we could only sign Rondon if Gayle went the other way. A pathetic way of doing business given funds should’ve been available to get Rondon on a permanent deal.

Don’t get me wrong folks, this hasn’t been a good summer, but I thought I’d summarise to give some reason to be cheerful ahead of the new season.

What have you made of our summer?

 (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.

7 thoughts on “The positives and negatives from NUFC’s frustrating summer transfer window – Do you agree?

  1. Good way of putting it into context but all you have to do is look at the spending of wolves, Fulham, Brighton and west ham and wonder how could they be out spending us in the extravagant way they have? How are they funding their spends?

      (Quote)

  2. Kenedy can play at left-back. That’s where he has got his only ever game time at Chelsea.

      (Quote)

  3. John Bradford:
    Kenedy can play at left-back. That’s where he has got his only ever game time at Chelsea.

    Yes, but playing him at left-back means you lose out on having him in the attacking third as a winger – where he’s at his best.

    He’s one of our few flair players so we need him out wide, not at left-back.

      (Quote)

  4. Olly Hawkins: Yes, but playing him at left-back means you lose out on having him in the attacking third as a winger – where he’s at his best.

    He’s one of our few flair players so we need him out wide, not at left-back.

    I agree, but on those days where Dummett just isn’t coping with his opponent or is injured he can be used to cover the position. And he is Brazilian, do they need to be in the final third to still be attacking? they attack from everywhere…lol

      (Quote)

  5. We will mot be relegated, this season, but after next summer, without Kenedy, Lascalles, Rondon, Shelvey, Hayden and Ritchie. along with Rafa, we’ll end up going down with less than 20 points under a numpty manager 🙁 🙁 🙁

      (Quote)

  6. The other side of this transfer window drama is about January. On January could arrive a couple of good players. I still think that Manquillo will be reliable as right back defender. Kenedy can do a job as offensive left back. Newcastle got 5 good central defenders (Lascelles, Schär, Lejeune, Clark, Fernández). Salomón Rondón will do a good job up front and hopefully Yoshi Muto will be a nice surprise as second striker, behind Rondón. I think Kenedy is the wonder man in attack, the imaginative and talented one, who can do different things and nice football, very useful on counter-attack. I was hoping that Charnley could sign Tagliafico for the left-back, he’s a good option for January, Thiago Maia could strength the midlfied as well.

    NUFC support from Spain.

      (Quote)

  7. There are a couple of young and interesting players playing for Getafe in Spain that Newcastle could look at: Djené Dakounam (defender) and Amath Ndiaye (winger/stricker. Both of them are good, strong players. Djené a real good defender, strong and quick, who can do a job as right back as well. Amath is about attacking instinct, pace, good moves, good finishing and very useful on counter-attack. The problem is that Getafe could only let them go is some club pay their release clauses. But they are really good options for Newcastle if the money is still there on January.

    NUFC support from Spain.

      (Quote)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *