On Friday, Newcastle United released a shocking statement that detailed their transfer strategy over the summer.
It came after a forgettable few months for the Magpies.
Firstly, the takeover did not happen. Arbitration was delayed, meaning Mike Ashley was going nowhere as owner.
What followed was the usual lack of ambition.
Joe Willock returned, but it was a drawn out saga that surely could have been completed much quicker. But this is Ashley’s Newcastle – when has efficiency ever mattered?
After the Willock deal there were no more first-team additions. That’s despite the fact Steve Bruce desperately needed reinforcements. His squad is actually weaker than it was last season, which is a worrying thought.
Right up until the last minute Bruce was trying to get players in, with a deadline day deal for Hamza Choudhury collapsing. Newcastle reportedly did not want to pay the loan fee Leicester had asked for.
Now the club have released a lengthy statement, defending their actions this summer.
Transfer strategy statement from Newcastle will lead to disaster
The club claim they will only spend the money they can generate themselves.
They stated: “The cash generated each year through matchday and non-matchday activities, plus any transfer fees received from player sales, determines how much is available to spend.”
And this is where the problem lies… How can you raise cash if you’ve got nobody worth selling?
When you look at the Newcastle squad, there is only Allan Saint-Maximin who would demand a huge fee. The Magpies reportedly wanted £60million for him this summer.
Other than that, there weren’t many Toon players linked with an exit, other than those who the club reportedly wanted to get rid of.
The likes of Fabian Schar, Sean Longstaff and Jeff Hendrick were all made available, but didn’t depart.
Newcastle have got an average squad that still reeks of the side that won the Championship in 2017. It’s similar because the club don’t want to invest in new players. It’s similar because those players have such limited value that it’s cheaper to keep them rather than sell and have to find a replacement.
The Championship players are a likeable bunch. They did a brilliant job in achieving promotion under Rafa Benitez. But some of them are well past their best.
It’s this transfer strategy that makes the future of Newcastle United so worrying. If the only way we can make serious changes to the side is by selling players on then we’ve got no hope.
The statement the club released on Friday was big. They’re going to continue doing things their way whether the fans, or the manager, like it or not.
Until the clubs changes hands, this major problem will not go away. And it could lead to disaster.
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