It really is the ‘silly’ season isn’t it? Toon fans up and down the country and across the world already getting anxious and negative as Clubs make signings whilst United appear not to be moving very quickly.
But then can we believe everything we read? Based on some of the rumours we see, definitely not!
No doubt there will be a smidgeon of truth in some of it, but trying to wade through all that comes with trying to find the right and truthful stuff is like walking through mud with trainers on it seems. Once again, Newcastle are being linked with so many we’d need a dozen first-teams to fit them all in!
Wading between the genuine links and nonsense is at least becoming a little easier, as some journalists run lazy stories that are blatantly fake, as we saw last night from Sébastien Vidal.
“Newcastle have made initial contact for AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez. The Magpies are considering a bid close to £29.4m, the fee Al Hilal had agreed before the deal collapsed,” he declared on X.
A talented player? Yes. But there is not a chance Newcastle are spending £30m (and big wages) on an ageing left-back when we have Lewis Hall, the versatile Tino Livramento and far bigger priorities elsewhere, with our budget set to go on a goalkeeper, centre-back, right winger and striker instead. If you’re going to make up a story, Sebastien, at least make it sound remotely possible!
Then there is some social media ‘despair’ of losing out to supposed high-priority targets. Liam Delap to Chelsea in a £30m move from Ipswich, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to Man Ure and Joan Garcia to Barcelona were all supposedly high on Eddie’*****-list.
I think of those four only one was a realistic option. Mbeumo. Now it appears Brentford are doing a Palace and refusing to let him go cheaply or even for a reported release clause. Add in the extortionate wages (£250,000 p/w?!) his agent is asking for and perhaps he’s a target best avoided!
Delap was always going to be a tough one. Yes, there is the Eddie Howe effect of improving young English talents, but he’d have arrived knowing Alexander Isak was blocking his route to regular starts.
Mbeumo I am disappointed about, but I look at the financial implications and perhaps think it’s best avoided and we could probably get just as good elsewhere for cheaper. Garcia is another that I questioned, as all the talk came from the Spanish media and stunk of agents using our name to push Barcelona.
Let him go to Barca I say and let’s get Trafford instead. That said, it does appear that Burnley aren’t going to let him go as cheaply as we hoped, although that’s no surprise given their promotion and his record-breaking 29 clean sheets on the way.
All intriguing stuff, but for now it’s best to ignore the obvious nonsense (Hernandez a prime example) and not get too worried when reported ‘top targets’ end up elsewhere, as the club will have a plan, plenty of exciting targets and money to spend after several windows without major signings.
Good article common sense and reality .. likely the most accurate description of where we are on transfers
Mike(Quote)