Newcastle United should not settle for players before the transfer deadline
By Durim Halimi
Newcastle United should not settle for players in the final 14 days of the summer transfer window.
Newcastle United have spent less money that any other Premier League club this summer. The successive inactivity during transfer windows has supporters on edge as they are taking a firm stance against owner Mike Ashley.
At the time of this writing, Newcastle have only spent £4 million and brought in three players, with Fabian Schar close to being signing number four. Reports claim that Rafa Benitez would like to add a few more players to strengthen his squad, but he lacks the financial support to achieve this objective.
With that being said, as frustrating as Newcastle’s current situation is, it is important for the Magpies to be cautious these next two weeks. In other words, Newcastle should only invest the limited funds they have on players who are truly worth it. The Magpies would be making a severe mistake if they signed players just to claim more transfer activity.
Wasting Money
Newcastle have been a primary example of what a club should not be doing during a summer transfer window. However, other Premier League clubs are also making critical errors when it comes to their transfer activity. Spending large sums of money never guarantees success in football.
The examples of ill-advised spending from other clubs this summer are endless. For instance, West Ham is spending money like a top six club, but none of it is being used to improve their weak back-line. Everton recently spent £55 million on Richarlison, an attacking midfielder who scored fewer goals than Ayoze Perez and Dwight Gayle last season. The list goes on as several mid-table sides have invested in unproven players from weaker leagues around the world.
This raises another point, Newcastle cannot be intimidated by all of these clubs that have spent so much money this summer. Instead, the Magpies should pay attention to what kind of players their rivals bought in order to understand that their competition did not improve significantly.
Nothing Wrong With Continuity
Continuity is not a bad thing for any club as it helps develop collective consistency. No, that statement is not meant to defend Ashley’s hesitation to spend money on the club, but it is true. With this current roster, Newcastle managed to earn a top ten finish last season.
The primary objective of the club will be to replicate their positive form from the second half of last season. According to Benitez, Newcastle will aim to avoid relegation this season, but his players will try to prove him wrong.
At this stage in the transfer window, several clubs will be scrambling for whatever talent remains out there. Newcastle will most likely be linked to innumerable players over the next two weeks as well, but the Magpies must be cautious. Ashley refuses to invest in Newcastle, so the club must spend whatever budget they have wisely in order to avoid signing another Joselu this season.