According to the Sun, Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is set to hand Steve Bruce a £50million transfer budget this summer.
It is reportedly a reward for keeping the club in the Premier League.
That’s more than four times what was initially believed, with early reports suggesting the Magpies would only have £12million to improve their squad.
That figure could have been boosted by player sales, but that’s easier said than done.
Allan Saint-Maximin is our most sellable asset, but there’s no way we can allow him to leave.
While the likes of Yoshinori Muto and Dwight Gayle can depart, they’re hardly going to give Bruce’s transfer kitty a huge boost.
If the budget was only £12million, then we’d have no chance of bringing Joe Willock back to the club.
But with the budget now reportedly £50million, perhaps there is a chance that the eight-goal midfielder will return.
However, talk of an increased transfer budget – or ‘war chest’ as the Sun called it – begs more questions than answers.
Why would Newcastle owner Mike Ashley increase the transfer budget?
With Ashley intent on selling the club this summer, every decision he makes will be criticised. This one is no different.
As we know, Ashley is currently involved in a legal battle with the Premier League over the failed takeover.
He agreed a deal to sell the club to PCP Capital Partners last year, only for the deal to collapse in July. PIF withdrew due to the Premier League failing to provide a definitive answer to their Owners’ and Directors’ test.
Now Ashley is fighting to push the deal through. He’s filed an anti-competition claim against the Premier League, while arbitration is set to begin soon.
The Sun even reported recently that Ashley is so confident about selling the club that he’s told Amanda Staveley and co to be ready to complete a deal within a month.
If you were so certain of a sale, why would you even consider signing any players? Why would Ashley buy anyone if he’s so sure that he’ll be gone before the season starts?
Perhaps the budget never was as low as £12million. That did seem extremely small for a Premier League club, even despite the financial impact of COVID.
Or perhaps Ashley isn’t as confident of a takeover as the media reports would suggest. Maybe that’s why he’s boosted Bruce’s budget.
Is £50million even the budget? The report does come from the Sun, after all.
Reports of an improved £50million transfer budget beg more questions than answers. Sadly, who knows when we’ll get those answers.
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