Newcastle United: Transfers & Next Season Expectations
Posted on August 6th, 2020 | No Comments |
Owner Mike Ashley is believed to still be eager to offload the club, although fans will undoubtedly feel that they have heard it all before.
The £300 million deal was still being scrutinised by the Premier League when the bidders withdrew, sparking an outpouring of sadness across the fanbase.
With the news likely to have a major impact on the club’s ability to compete in the transfer market, we take a closer look at the job manager Steve Bruce now faces.
Time to Cull the Deadwood.
Most Premier League betting sites rate Newcastle as 500/1 shots to win next season’s title and that looks a fair assessment of their chances given the current state of the squad.
Bruce will need to do plenty of wheeler-dealing this summer, with at least seven players in line to be shipped out of St James’ Park.
Yoshinori Muto, Jacob Murphy and Fabian Schar are amongst the players tipped to leave and they would free up some space on the wage bill.
Florian Lejeune, DeAndre Yedlin, Rolando Aarons and Christian Atsu are others who fall into the category of being dispensable this summer.
Bournemouth Duo on Bruce’s Wish List.
Newcastle are rumoured to be interested in a double swoop on Bournemouth, with David Brooks and Josh King said to be on Bruce’s wish list.
They are likely to face plenty of competition for Brooks, with West Ham United, Leicester City and Crystal Palace all linked with the talented midfielder.
Bournemouth are expected to ask for a fee of £40 million for the 23-year-old and that is likely to prove too expensive for Newcastle.
King is perhaps a more viable target and his addition to the ranks would make the Magpies a more entertaining proposition to watch online via live streaming.
Bruce Must Solve Striker Conundrum.
With Joelinton failing miserably to live up to his £40m price tag, the Magpies desperately need to add some firepower to their squad for next season.
Ollie Watkins appeals as an affordable target, with the Brentford striker available if a club is prepared to meet his £18m release clause.
Watkins scored 25 goals in 46 Championship games this season and looks ready for a step up to the top flight following the Bees’ failure to win promotion.
Troy Deeney may also be worth considering after he refused to commit his future to Watford after they were relegated from the top flight.
Tell Longstaff to Leave.
Matty Longstaff is yet to make a decision on his future despite the club making what Bruce described as an ‘unbelievably good offer’ to the midfielder.
Leeds United and Udinese are amongst the clubs who have been linked with the 20-year-old who hasn’t played in the Premier League since January 21.
Bruce was coy when asked recently if he had been leaving the youngster out because of his contract situation, but it would be a surprise if that wasn’t the case.
Longstaff has had plenty of time to commit his future to the club and hasn’t signed on the dotted line – Bruce should now make it clear he doesn’t want him to stay.
Newcastle United 2020/21 Prediction: With the takeover off and Ashley still involved, Newcastle appear set for another tough season. If Bruce can find someone to score goals they should steer clear of relegation, but finishing above halfway looks to be a distant dream.
NUFCBlog Author: Frankly Various
Frankly Various has written 67 articles on this blog.