It’s been a brutal summer transfer window so far at Newcastle United, featuring far more rejections and unsettling Alexander Isak rumours than new signings.
Attempting to explain how it’s come to this is tricky given all the factors, with PIF, PSR, no sporting director, an unwell CEO and a thin recruitment team left behind all playing a part.
But who have we missed out on, why didn’t they sign (some with good reason, sadly) and what is the one deal that feels like one huge (and potentially avoidable) waste of time? My attempt to summarise is as follows:
I can believe that Newcastle made an early push for Dean Huijsen, but never stood a chance when up against Real Madrid.
I can understand why we’ve still not got Marc Guehi given last August’s time-wasting exercise with Crystal Palace and the suspicion he is either holding out for Liverpool or likely to run down his contract.
I can believe that Liam Delap picked Chelsea to play under former coach Enzo Marseca, along with the fear of playing second fiddle to Alexander Isak had he joined Newcastle.
I can believe Newcastle felt a £70m fee plus massive wages was too much for Bryan Mbeumo, even if the Man Utd-bound Cameroonian seemed like the perfect right winger.
I can believe Joao Pedro fancied London, bigger wages at Chelsea and never committed to us due to #CFC waiting in the wings.
I can believe the Hugo Ekitike saga was a similar story to the above, with Champions Liverpool hovering and prepared to pay big as Frankfurt pushed for a bidding war.
But I am struggling to accept the James Trafford situation as Man City appear to have hijacked our pursuit of the Burnley goalkeeper.
We’ve spent over 12 months pursuing James Trafford. After a £16m bid failed last summer, it’s become clear that he is been keen to join and we’ve been told multiple times that personal terms would not be a problem.
The price has clearly been a problem, perhaps inflated by Man City’s 20% sell-on clause, but our apparent refusal to meet their £40m demands for England’s future No. 1 has wasted precious time and given yet another ‘big six’ rival the opportunity to step in.
Trafford to Man City is not done yet, but this one felt avoidable and a chance to respond to several transfer setbacks. However, seven weeks into the summer window, it is now likely that the 22-year-old Howe was eager to sign becomes the latest ‘top target’ we’ll miss out on.
If Man City have a first refusal buy-back clause that still hasn’t expired then we’d be wrong on this one and Newcastle’s hands would be tied, but I’m really not sure that’s the case.
Fabrizio Romano and Luke Edwards suggested it was almost done at the end of June, while Craig Hope seemed to think it was a formality earlier this year. What changed? If this Man City caveat is not true, then questions need to be asked.
Giving in to Burnley’s demands isn’t something Newcastle should or will do regularly, but it feels like PIF’s dead-set approach to valuations might’ve cost us here after being scarred by last summer’s PSR mess. Sometimes overpaying is worth it when the stakes are so high…
A huge, huge few weeks lie ahead for PIF, Howe and the recruitment team at Newcastle United, with a number of breakthroughs essential to life the mood and build a quality and deep squad capable of competing on four fronts.