Eddie Howe has given a further insight on how his Newcastle United side will conduct their transfer business this January.
Newcastle were recently dealt an early blow as the agent of reported target Johan Bakayoko stated the PSV winger would not be leaving this month – but an incoming has always felt unlikely unless we sell first.
Sean Longstaff, Martin Dubravka and Miguel Almiron are amongst the names that are being touted with a potential exit from St. James Park, with Howe recently sharing an insight into how we will approach the window.
Howe’s mixed update on January transfers
Speaking to media on Monday, Howe said that Newcastle are “flexible,” “ready for anything,” and that one big move could “start a chain reaction”, offering hope that we could still be active this month.
The Toon gaffer also discussed the reality of our PSR situation and approach to transfers as a result, admitting “business logic” may have to come before “football logic”. A hint that certain sales may be sanctioned for the good of our balance sheets, perhaps?
“The business logic is taking over from the football logic,” said Howe. “There may be football decisions you’d like to make. Nothing was bigger than the previous summer when we had to lose two highly promising young players – we were forced to, we had no choice. That is very much the business taking over from the football. I think we are still in that position.
“I’m not on the frontline so I am not speaking to agents and getting interactions. Others around the club will have a better understanding than me.
“I don’t think it is taking too many turns from how I thought it would be. That is not to say anything is cut and dry. It might just take one big move somewhere to start a chain reaction. We are ready for anything. We are able to be flexible.”
There is a strong message on business sense trumping footballing logic – perhaps the perfect example being that Dubravka has been brilliant for us on current form, but with a contract extension extremely unlikely for the Slovakian then this window is the last opportunity to sell before his contract expires in the summer.
Quite obviously it is better business to gather whatever small fee we can for the 35-year-old than risk losing him on a free.
Similarly, if Longstaff struggles for minutes for the remainder of the season with the current midfield of Joelinton, Bruno and Sandro picking itself then the Geordie will see his value continue to decrease before the summer.
PSR in danger of ruining another transfer windows?
Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov, as with Bakayoko, has been strongly linked with Newcastle moves this month. However, the constant message from Howe is that any big move simply won’t happen without a sale, with the club seemingly wary of June’s PSR deadline.
We were forced to sell Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh after making a hash of it last season, but it’s an issue across the Premier League with clubs afraid of spending outside the guidelines with plenty of points deductions handed out in recent seasons.
For Toon it represents another quiet window unless the chain reaction gets set off and that may be a theme across the Premier League, where January business was particularly quiet this time last year as FFP restrictions continue to impact spending.
