Around this time of year, you’d expect clubs to be making more noise when it comes to transfer rumours, but there’s very little going on at Newcastle.
January is just around the corner and despite a vast improvement in Newcastle’s fortunes of late, the fans still want to see some ambition in the transfer window.
Pretend you’re Newcastle United’s sporting director, where are you spending straight away?
Ross Wilson has given the green light to January signings at Newcastle United…
Eddie Howe has made his priorities clear, citing a new full-back and central midfielder as the areas he wants to work on.
And yet, while we keep a close eye on the big Newcastle transfer stories, there is very little in the way of actual names and concrete targets. So, what is going on behind the scenes, and is it time to panic?
Why are Newcastle United hardly linked with any transfer targets?
Over the past month or so, all we heard was that Kees Smit was Newcastle bound. However, just last week it was stated Smit would stay with AZ Alkmaar until the summer.
The same goes for James Trafford. After recent mistakes from both Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale, fans want a replacement goalkeeper, but it’s now looking like Man City might hold onto Trafford for now.
And, despite a desire from Howe to recruit in the full-back position, there have been next to zero names mentioned in connection with the Magpies.
So, is Ross Wilson failing miserably already, or is this just part of a smart tactic of keeping quiet and getting business done without the eyes of the world on you?
Obviously, we won’t know the real answer to that until the end of January. But, there’s every reason to believe that Newcastle are merely operating quietly to keep track of the targets they truly want without rumours surfacing and bidding wars erupting.
Shouting loudly about your intentions is not necessarily the best thing to do, especially when it comes to transfer negotiations. With Newcastle looking to catch up with the Big Six, it’s arguably far better if Wilson and co. keep their cards close to their chest.
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It won’t take a lot to make Newcastle stronger
Eddie Howe has said he has faith in Wilson and the club to deliver what he wants and needs in the market.
Wilson has also been transparent about his plans when it comes to communicating with the fans, which is never a bad thing.
After turning us down this summer, do you even want Trafford at Newcastle anymore?! If not, who else do we target?
The thing is, Newcastle don’t really need to do all that much to get to the next level this season. They certainly don’t need to spend hundreds of millions, that’s for sure.
While the goalkeeper situation is a worry right now, Nick Pope is a good enough goalkeeper to carry Newcastle through the season. That matter can be settled come next summer.
Given how he’s played lately, there’s also a case to be made for Lewis Miley satisfying Howe’s needs for a new midfielder. In truth, it’s all about squad depth for Newcastle, and the biggest area of concern is in providing back-up for Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall.
Injuries and illness have affected the two full-backs this season, and Newcastle are far weaker without them. Fix that area alone, and the Magpies would already be a stronger team.
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