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Opinion

Newcastle United running a year behind on transfers

6 years ago
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Newcastle United have brought in three signings so far this summer.

Martin Dubravka was a no-brainer, to come straight in and do what he did against Manchester United on his debut, that tells me he is our type of player. You need somebody who can handle Premier League pressure and 50,000 fans, so many previous signings have failed on one or both counts.

As for Kenedy, very similar to the keeper but at the other end of the pitch.

I am gutted that no attempt appears to have been made to buy the Brazilian, I don’t think we will have a better chance to do so in the future (unless he turns out to be rubbish…), but purely in terms of this upcoming season the winger has to be seen as a great (return) addition.

As for Ki Sung-yueng, a solid signing. Can obviously hold his own in the Premier League. Obviously I would rather we brought in players who you would see as better quality than what we have already got in the first team but if either Shelvey or Diame falter, the South Korean captain will do a job.

I feel positive about all three signings to various degrees, even though disappointing we won’t see whether Mikel Merino can play once again for Newcastle like he did in those opening months.

So anyway, happy overall with that trio of summer signings, but I do have one major issue.

I think these are signings that we were lacking 12 months ago.

If Kenedy, Dubravka and Ki Sung-yueng had all been brought in last summer, then that summer 2017 transfer window would have been looking almost credible.

If Newcastle had bought (no loans) Kenedy, Merino, Ki Sung-yueng, Dubravka, Lejeune and taken a punt on the promise of Murphy and an odd squad signing such as Manquillo, then I would have been pretty happy. Only really a decent striker missing off the list in terms of a good window as a promoted club.

However, instead what we got last summer was bargain basement signings and Florian Lejeune, and potentially Mikel Merino, as credible Premier League level signings. Nowhere near enough.

Rafa Benitez has even now commented on the fact that despite signing these three players, Newcastle are no further forward than they were at the end of last season.

As it stands, I honestly think we are a whole year behind when it comes to transfers. The three signings putting us close (minus a striker) to where we should have been for the start of last season.

With deadline day less than four weeks away, for me Newcastle have to do a whole summer’s worth of business in these next 26 days.

At the end of last season we just about got a full team on the pitch who could do a job but there was next to nothing really beyond that, to even get an 18 man matchday squad that could be strong enough to get us through the season, I think we need at least another six players brought in.

We need to play catch up and quick, or else it is another relegation struggle lies ahead. Last season NUFC were very lucky when it came to so few big injuries to key players, I don’t think you get that lucky two seasons in a row.

Newcastle can’t get by with just 10 or 11 players who might be good enough, the quality of the team and squad needs serious strengthening now, rather than desperate loan signings in January to try and save the day again, we definitely won’t get that lucky again as was the case with Dubravka and Kenedy making such a big instant impact.
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