With the first team squad jetting off to Asia on Friday, there’s still plenty of work to be done at home for Newcastle United this summer.
Anthony Elanga remains the only first team signing we’ve made so far this window, and time is slowly running out for us to bring more top targets to the club in time for the new season.
Yoane Wissa looks to be the next of said ‘top targets’, with the 28-year-old Brentford forward reportedly keen on the move and has even left their training camp in Portugal amidst the speculation over his future.
We now have a clearer idea of what it’ll take to bring Wissa to Tyneside this summer, and it won’t be cheap…
Brentford’s Wissa demands revealed?
According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, it will take upwards of £40m for the club to consider selling the Congolese forward.
Sky Sports have reported that a £30m bid is set to follow, with Craig Hope adding that there is confidence it would take that figure to strike a deal. But The Telegraph say otherwise.
This would mean that our initial bid of £25m earlier this week fell well below the Bees’ £40m+ valuation, and makes sense as to why it was so quickly rejected despite the player’s desire to leave.
Having already pocketed £71m from selling Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United, there’s very little reason for Brentford to sell either, especially as they have been picked apart by other clubs all summer long.
Turning 29 in September, and with less than a year left on his current deal (though a one year extension clause looks to be in place), there also isn’t long left for Brentford to sell the star for big money, and now could be their last opportunity.
Should Newcastle walk away from Wissa talks?
We’ve made it repeatedly clear this summer that we will walk away from any deal where we feel like we’re being overcharged.
So for a player who’s both pushing 30 and very close to being a free agent next summer, we’d perhaps be right to stand our ground and push for a lower fee.
But it’s fast becoming the story of the summer: a financially healthy Newcastle refusing to spend big on players for Eddie Howe, and seeing their rivals swoop in with ease.
Missing out on Wissa here, particularly to a team like Spurs, would deal some considerable damage to fans’ faith in the recruitment team, and make it even more likely that Alexander Isak and Will Osula will be our only striker options come August.
Definitely walk away.
Dutch Docherty(Quote)
Or another way to look at it is we’re refusing to have our pants down because PSR dictates what money we can spend has to be spent wisely.
Johnny Mac(Quote)
I feel like 30M plus 5 in add-ons is well worth it for two or three years good service. If we plfaff around we could end up with nothing at all in a few weeks. Best get it done then think about the right sided central defender
Adam(Quote)
Depends if they add £10 m on top of what they were asking for, moving the goalposts, then walk away. But if they have always said pay up or walk then it’s not so clear.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Don’t embarrass us again! Pay up or walk away now.
George Todd(Quote)
Walk, due to cost and age.
There has to be better value and younger targets on the continent.
It makes you wonder how much proper scouting has been carried out on the continent as opposed to read made premiership players.
Hoping rather than expecting some decent signings.
Joseph(Quote)
He is pushing 29 not 30….Brentford have another years option after next season. Get the details correct if you are going to write on a subject
Kevin(Quote)
£30m feels right. £40-50m feels too much for a 29 year old
Al(Quote)
I would pay. He’s worth it. Everton asked the same money for Calvert Lewin. He’s also a player with a year left on his contract
hmd(Quote)
You can blame our recruitment team if we cant pay wages the big 6 can offer, thats PSR and Premier League corruption right there, its scandalous how this league is being run. All our targets have gone to Big 6 clubs and we cant get near them in wages as the League is designed to protect the riches of the Big 6. I can’t believe fans don’t protest over it, its only going to get worse
Martin Stephenson(Quote)
Martin Stephenson(Quote)
Agree with Adam above, max for me would be 35m +5m add ons. They can ask what they want, like us with Isak, but that’s fair. I reckon they might well go for that in the end, as the player is pushing. He would be a great signing for us for 3-4 yrs. If we make 4 signings and the rest are in the 23 and under bracket that’s fine, no problem making the odd exception and signing one a bit older
East stand(Quote)
Mate every day there are folk on here and other fan sites in a total doom spiral. Honestly you would think we were coming into a league one season after successive relegations the way some of them go on. We have been very ambitious and if the 6 (not all of them bigger than us, just protected as you say) get involved we will miss out. It goes with the territory sadly in the biased world of psr
Not saying the club get everything right at all but all this stuff about pathetic, not trying, embarrassing etc is laughable
East stand(Quote)