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Newcastle United: Summer transfer grades

By Durim Halimi

LENS, FRANCE - JUNE 11: Fabian Schaer (R) of Switzerland celebrates scoring his team's first goal with his team mate Valon Behrami (L) during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group A match between Albania and Switzerland at Stade Bollaert-Delelis on June 11, 2016 in Lens, France. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
LENS, FRANCE - JUNE 11: Fabian Schaer (R) of Switzerland celebrates scoring his team's first goal with his team mate Valon Behrami (L) during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group A match between Albania and Switzerland at Stade Bollaert-Delelis on June 11, 2016 in Lens, France. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) /
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Despite having a limited transfer budget this summer, Newcastle United have managed to sign five players.

With just under two weeks remaining in the Premier League summer transfer window, Newcastle United are on the verge of  signing  their fifth player and more signings could still be completed. The Magpies recently announced the signing of Fabian Schar from Deportivo La Coruna and have announced the agreement of a pending deal involving Yoshinori Muto from FSV Mainz 05.

The arrivals of Schar and Muto have been welcomed positively by Newcastle’s supporters and Rafa Benitez is keen to acclimate the two newcomers to the club. The addition of new players is good for any team as they provide more depth and promote internal competition for playing time.

Moreover, the fact that Newcastle brought in five players by spending less than £17 million is astonishing to pundits. The question that needs to be answered, however, is how well did Newcastle do in terms of signing quality players this summer?

Overall Grade: B

Using the American grading system, where “A” is the best and “F” is extremely poor, Newcastle earned a B in this summer transfer window. For starters, the fact that Newcastle even managed to bring in five players with a blind budget is impressive. Just one day after the club was mentioned in a Parliamentary Petition against Mike Ashley, they continued business and purchased two players.

Circumstances aside, the players that Newcastle brought in are all players who can strive under Benitez. In other words, these five signings all fit in at Newcastle and provide new skills that the club previously lacked in certain positions. For individual player transfer grades, see the list below.

Martin Dubravka – Grade: A

Martin Dubravka wasted little time showcasing his skills at Newcastle as he began his career as a Magpie with a clean sheet against Manchester United. Since his debut, Dubravka has displayed stability, composure and athleticism between the posts. There will be high expectations for the Slovakian international keeper, but he will be ready to meet them.

Ki Sung-yueng – Grade: B-

The South Korean captain was a brilliant signing in terms of inserting more experience into a young squad. Ki Sung-yueng brings with him multiple years of top flight experience and has also participated in three World Cup tournaments. However, during his time at Swansea City, Ki was recognized as an inconsistent player. He will need to prove that he can maintain a good run of form for Newcastle.

Kenedy – Grade: A

The announcement of Kenedy returning to Newcastle generated a sense of excitement among supporters, and rightfully so. The Brazilian youngster quickly became a top player for Newcastle as he effectively utilized his pace, vision and superior dribbling on the pitch. This season, Kenedy will have the opportunity to build on that form and make Newcastle more competitive from the start of the campaign.

Fabian Schar – Grade: A-

Fabian Schar is a highly underrated defender and he will turn heads during the 2018-19 Premier League campaign. Schar has played in some of Europe’s top leagues and has extensive international experience with 42 appearances for Switzerland. Benitez is a wise man for making this investment and Jamaal Lascelles will appreciate having Schar alongside him on the back-line.

Yoshinori Muto (Pending) – Grade: B

Yoshinori “Yoshi” Muto is a relatively unknown name for most Newcastle supporters, but Benitez wanted him for a reason. The Japanese international scored 20 goals in 66 appearances for FSV Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga and is eager for a new challenge with Newcastle. Muto will add much-needed depth on the front-line and his quick pace could cause many problems for opposing defenders. He will not take Newcastle to the next level, but he will keep the Magpies competitive.