In the upcoming January transfer window, Eddie Howe, Ross Wilson and the recruitment team will have a big task ahead of them to bolster a squad looking in desperate need of a mid-season boost.
Squad depth is proving to be a real concern at the moment, particularly after this mini injury crisis we find ourselves in with the likes of Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier and Sven Botman all out injured.
Even in the areas of the pitch where we have a healthy amount of depth, like in midfield, we’re still crying out for player profiles we simply don’t have: in particular, a tricky attacking midfielder who can provide something that the likes of Joelinton and Sandro Tonali simply can’t.
Over the summer, Newcastle paid £42m for Jacob Ramsey, who has barely featured of late, and a potential alternative to the former Aston Villa man has now spoken out on our interest after being denied a move to the Premier League.
Stuttgart loan star reveals Toon interest
Bilal El-Khannouss has revealed that Newcastle United missed an opportunity to sign him over the summer before Stuttgart struck a loan deal with Leicester City.
Following the Foxes relegation, staying in England was a “priority” for the Moroccan as ourselves and Crystal Palace both lined up a cut-price deal for the playmaker, who had a release clause in his contract worth a reported £30m.
However, the 21-year-old claims that neither club wanted to activate that clause in a move both may be living to regret after six goals and four assists in Germany so far this season:
“Of course, the Premier League was my priority in the last transfer window.
“I was in contact with several clubs, and with some I was even in advanced negotiations. But it didn’t work out. As far as concrete offers were concerned, it was mainly Crystal Palace and Newcastle, to a lesser extent.”
“What I didn’t understand, above all, is that it didn’t work out knowing that I had a release clause. No club wanted to pay [it].
“We managed to find a deal with Stuttgart. And I’m happy even if things haven’t been easy this summer to be honest. It was difficult to find a way out with Leicester that didn’t make it easy.”
Easy to say in hindsight, but when Newcastle lacked that technical No 10 able to play between the lines and offer something different to our midfield runners, it feels like a mistake to have paid £12m more to sign Ramsey instead.
Ramsey struggling to impress
Questions continue to be asked over just why we signed Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, especially for considerably more than the deal on offer for El-Khannouss.
Ramsey is arguably the sixth choice midfielder at the club right now, making him the latest summer signing to endure a slow start to life on Tyneside.
Having failed to make a big impression in the 450+ minutes he’s played so far, Joe Willock appears to have gone above Ramsey in the pecking order despite suggestions he could depart in January.
You could speculate that El-Khannous wouldn’t have stood much better chance of starting in the midfield trio, but at least his attacking profile and ability to offer something different would’ve added to a squad desperately lacking spark and the potential to break down low blocks.
The summer transfer window was an absolute disaster, money wasted on substandard players, the only one who was worth it was Thiaw and he was by a good way the cheapest, Wissa might come good but £55 mil for 29 year old is not good business.
MorpethMag(Quote)
Suicidal recruitment. Which anyone remotely serious pointed out in the summer. But fans saw shiny, expensive signings and got carried away regardless. Set us back years sadly.
Scott(Quote)
Thiaw is the only transfer from the summer who has fitted in seamlessly.
Woltemade has done well relatively speaking in a system that doesn’t suit him.
Ramsey does not look worth it and appears very injury prone.
Elanga is I’d better not say or it will be edited.
Wissa the jury is out but not value at £55m
Ramsdale is not as good as Dubravka imo.
This is a summary of our very poor Summer transfers not helped by the Director of Football leaving and the club sleepwalking into the transfer window.
Then we have the RAT who left the ship.
Joseph(Quote)
Brian Marashi(Quote)
Nothing wrong with the players as players, all those signed are good players what is wrong is the players we bought don’t fit how we play.
Elanga played exceptionally well in a forest side that sat back and hit teams on the break, we don’t play like that.
Big Nick is a no 10 and not a striker he doesn’t close down enough but that’s not his game.
Ramsey has actually looked ok but hasn’t had many chances of Ben choose to start
This recruitment is down to a few people and it makes you wonder maybe Mitchell wasn’t as bad as we all thought. He had nothing to do with this window at all, Isak going might be another story but I think that was down to Isak being tapped up.
The problem as I see it ( just my opinion don’t shoot me 😋) is the way we played going forward was set up for Isak even defensively the hard press started with him,everything geared towards him, we get Ekitike not a problem like for like.
The problem is we didn’t get him and now Eddie is struggling with how to fit these players into a system that these players don’t fit instead of changing the system.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
Of been choose should be or been chosen
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
Jury’s out on Ramsay and, necessarily Wissa (though 4+ months of injury at his price and his age is a criminal twist of fate). I also think the jury’s out on Woltemade (and I’m not talking about the og). Oo-er. I’m not having Eddie take the blame for the summer shambles – he was on his own, more or less, poor lad, unlike every other EPL manager. PIF stumbling after a stellar start.
davewallace(Quote)
He wasn’t on his own where signings were concerned it was him, Nickson and his nephew Andy Howe who were in charge of recruitment this summer, Mitchell was pushed out that’s why he left.
Not getting Ekitike was the problem imo
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
Eddie is to blame wanted Ramsey and Elanga from the season before but i think the real problem is he does not no other system that why Woltemade like a fish out of water if the wingers are not playing well we are done every body sticks up for Eddie but he is the one who got us in that mess football is shambolic ask your self with a decent new manager got shot of the rubbish we would be top five every time just lets see if any thing changes tomorrow
Keith Richardson(Quote)