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Mike Ashley needs to scrap his age policy for players

By Durim Halimi

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Mike Ashley, Newcastle United owner and Lee Charnley look on prior to the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on February 2, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Mike Ashley, Newcastle United owner and Lee Charnley look on prior to the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on February 2, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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Mike Ashley has stirred up a dilemma with his age policy for players at Newcastle United, but he needs to drop it.

Several reports have come out over the last week stating that Mike Ashley aims to revert to his old transfer policy of only purchasing young players who can be sold to make a significant profit after a few years. From a business perspective, the idea makes perfect sense, but from a football perspective it is not all that effective.

With a Champions League-winning manager like Rafa Benitez on the sidelines, signing some young players would be good for their personal development, but Newcastle United need some veterans. The anxiety regarding Salomon Rondon’s status with the club is what triggered this debate.

Benitez and the club’s supporters want Rondon to sign a permanent contract with the Magpies. He has scored nine goals for Newcastle in the Premier League this season and has scored ten goals across all competitions. Moreover, the Venezuelan international has bagged five assists this season, which highlights the integral role he plays in Newcastle’s attack.

In Ashley’s eyes, the fact that Rondon will be 30-years-old next season makes him not want to sign the striker to a permanent deal, which could cost anywhere between £16M and £20M depending on whether or not West Brom earn promotion this season.

Yes, Rondon is aging, but he is the exact type of striker that Newcastle need. He is a dynamic scorer, an underrated passer, holds the ball up brilliantly and gets into dangerous positions multiple times per match. There are several notable players in the Premier League who are over 30-years-old and playing lights out football. Sergio Aguero, for example, will be 31 next season, yet he leads the league in scoring. Gylfi Sigurdsson (29) and Jamie Vardy (33) are still the most reliable and leading scorers for their respective clubs.

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These are just a few examples that should show Ashley that Rondon still has a few solid years left in the tank. With seven matches remaining this season, Rondon could very well score anywhere between 10 to 15 goals. The chemistry he has with Miguel Almiron and Ayoze Perez is also a major reason why Newcastle are enjoying such good form. This attacking trio can make Newcastle much more competitive next season, but only if Ashley stops worrying about age and agrees to keep Rondon on Tyneside.