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Opinion

Now more Newcastle United signings are needed with these extra players set to leave

5 years ago
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This Newcastle United playing squad requires more investment than you think, even if Rafa Benetiz is willing to sign a contract extension.

At a time when there is obviously a lot of talk about Rafa Benitez getting the assurances he wants from Mike Ashley before he signs a new contract, all rumours and stories coming out of the press seem to be in regard to the players that Newcastle are letting go, rather than ones they are bringing in.

In terms of sheer numbers, the squad may not look too bad right now. However, once you delve a little deeper into the situation of a few players, including contracts/loan signings or those who are just wanting to get away, it leaves a pretty startling picture of the job ahead for Rafa Benitez this summer.

What is also true is that we cannot afford to take for granted the players already on our books. The Premier League has taught us that you cannot expect players to keep up the same level of form in one season into the next. In recent years, the form of players like Cisse, Tiote, Coloccini, and more recently even Lascelles and Diame, highlight the need to constantly improve on the squad you have, rather than resting on your laurels.

The difference in performance from the 2011/12 season to the 2012/13 season serves as a perfect example.

The point being, that I think it would be naive to expect the likes of Schar, Longstaff and Ritchie to achieve the same level of performance next season that they have this season. If they do, then great, but if Rafa is to agree to a new contract then it must be based on a transfer policy that is proactive rather than reactive.

If there is an area in the side that Rafa doesn’t have to worry about it is his goalkeeper and centre halves. Whether he goes with five or four at the back, there seems to be enough cover there to avoid a crisis situation.

At wing-back though there will be a need to invest.

I have no doubt that Rafa will have a left back near the top of his list in the summer. Antonio Barreca has proved to be a classic Mike Ashley January signing, designed to offer nothing but a number and probably more importantly act as a short-term peace offering to protesting fans. Paul Dummett has featured at centre back since his return to the squad but I feel that if Rafa is to agree to a new contract then areas like left back will be important if he truly is to improve the squad.

So all in all, and I know many have commented on this before, but this is probably the first time in the Premier League era where we don’t really have to worry about our defence.

The rest of the team though is where I see Rafa running into a huge stumbling block in regards to contract/investment talks. Newcastle have four senior central midfielders in Shelvey, Diame, Hayden and Ki. Add Sean Longstaff to that but lets not forget that he is a 21 year old who has only played 10 or so games for Newcastle. He should get the chance to kick on when he returns from injury but to expect him to keep up that level of performance would be naïve in my opinion.

Out of those aforementioned four, it looks likely that Diame, Hayden and Shelvey are all off in the summer. Diame’s contract will expire, Hayden has probably earned his much wanted move away, meanwhile Jonjo Shelvey does not appear to be Rafa’s cup of tea in the slightest. That leaves Ki and Sean Longstaff, which makes for scary reading if I am honest.

Reinforcements will almost certainly come in that department but how much is needed? Remember, we have struggled with the numbers in the middle this season, so what we have right now should be the bare minimum. Does that mean we will be bringing in two or three central midfielders? I would be very surprised if Mike Ashley sanctioned a move for more than one (relatively) big money midfielder.

Likewise, going down the wing Newcastle don’t have much going on at all. Matt Ritchie has been brilliant at Newcastle but if Rafa is to agree to a new contract then he must surely be demanding to bring in players that are better than Matt Ritchie, rather just aiming to meet his standards.

As for the others, Atsu and Murphy, I just don’t think they are up to the standard. Kenedy will also depart and won’t be joining on a permanent deal (surely!). Again, it should be a case of Rafa bringing in two wingers rather than one. Yet again though, can you see Mike Ashley agreeing to that? I can’t…

I am sure some fans will see the number 10 area of the squad as a position that Rafa will want to invest in again but I think this is unlikely. With Almiron and Perez occupying that area, I do not see the need for improvement. That is of course if we assume that Rafa will revert to a back four again next season. I think to get the best out of Almiron then he must do.

If Rafa is to sign a new contract, then he is putting a huge amount of pressure on himself to perform. That includes turning out a better standard of football to what we have seen, which should mean playing your ‘best’ player in his best position. Almiron has quite rightly had a free pass in this second half of the season as he adjusts to the Premier League, but as of next season he will have to start chipping in with goals and assists.

As for Perez, I don’t think he will be off anywhere this summer. First of all, who will want him? I can’t think of any self-respecting club who would pay double figures for him. Once again, the quotes that have come out lately go back to Ayoze Perez thinking he is a far better player than what he is, or at least what he has shown us. My suggestion for Perez would be to cut out the antics on the pitch, cut out the stupid celebration, the stupid quotes outside the game, just get your head down, play football and do well for Newcastle United.

Up front Newcastle need two centre-forwards. That for me is an imperative. Even if we buy a 30 million striker in the summer, I don’t think it will be enough if they are supported by Joselu. Rondon has been brilliant and we should be looking to sign him. However, everything I have read on him so far suggests that the club are not keen to do so. If that is the case, then that should be enough for Rafa to walk away from any talks of a new contract.

So what do we need?

Honestly, if next season isn’t to be similar to this season then a left back, two central midfielders, two wingers and two strikers. I think that is being conservative as well.

I can’t see it happening.

I am sure Rafa Benitez has a grand plan set out over five years, but the truth is that the moment he signs that new contract, the pressure will be placed on him and taken away from Mike Ashley (whether we like it or not).

I think he would be a mug to sign it, because lets face it, the list of Newcastle United signings needed above is the bare minimum if the club are to go anywhere in the near future.

You can follow the author on Twitter @_jonathandc

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