Newcastle United 24-25: Huh.

[Joe D Reid]

I know that NUFC isn't a widely followed club around here, but I've found their offseason to date to be odd and interesting and illustrative of some larger trends within the game. Here's who's come in and out so far, with transfer fees:

Players Out: Elliott Anderson, MF (to Forest for 41M); Yankuba Mintah, RW (to Forest for 33M)

Players In: Lloyd Kelly, CB (Free); John Ruddy, GK (Free)

Also out: Dan Ashworth, Sporting Director (to Man U for 10M), Amanda Stavely, part owner (who the hell knows).

So, despite the ownership having more money than just about any other entity you care to name, not a dime has been spent on transfer fees. They've also sold a local kid who played over 1,000 minutes for them last year, one of their higher-upside other youngsters, and the sporting director who found that youngster. They've also lost the "friendly" English face of the ownership group. To me, that signals that (1) the current iteration of the financial fair play rules actually seem to be affecting club behavior in the way that the old ones did not and will do a pretty good job of insulating the clubs currently at the top of the global heap from future challengers, and (2) it is very unclear who is making the decisions at this club. They did just get a new sporting director in, which may lead to more moves once the summer tournaments are over. But right now it sure seems like they are staring at the new rules and wondering what the f--k to do from here.

 

[the1andonly3003]

According to F. Romano Staveley was supposed to only stay for three years FWIW

 

[benhogan]

I know that NUFC isn't a widely followed club around here, but I've found their offseason to date to be odd and interesting and illustrative of some larger trends within the game. Here's who's come in and out so far, with transfer fees:

Players Out: Elliott Anderson, MF (to Forest for 41M); Yankuba Mintah, RW (to Forest for 33M)

Players In: Lloyd Kelly, CB (Free); John Ruddy, GK (Free)

Also out: Dan Ashworth, Sporting Director (to Man U for 10M), Amanda Stavely, part owner (who the hell knows).

So, despite the ownership having more money than just about any other entity you care to name, not a dime has been spent on transfer fees. They've also sold a local kid who played over 1,000 minutes for them last year, one of their higher-upside other youngsters, and the sporting director who found that youngster. They've also lost the "friendly" English face of the ownership group. To me, that signals that (1) the current iteration of the financial fair play rules actually seem to be affecting club behavior in the way that the old ones did not and will do a pretty good job of insulating the clubs currently at the top of the global heap from future challengers, and (2) it is very unclear who is making the decisions at this club. They did just get a new sporting director in, which may lead to more moves once the summer tournaments are over. But right now it sure seems like they are staring at the new rules and wondering what the f--k to do from here.

They were facing a point deduction if they didn't sell some talent. Elliott Anderson isn't a massive loss.

They had a decent season considering all the injuries. Plus Tonali was terrible when he played & then got suspended for gambling. He was the big off-season move last year (most expensive Italian player of All Time).

Without all the extra Euro matches the squad feels deep.

Forwards: Isak, Wilson, Gordon, Barnes

Midfielders: Joelinton, Bruno, Longstaff, Willock, Murphy, Miley, Almiron, Fraser, Tonali?,

Defenders: Schar, Burn, Botman, Livramento, Trippier, Lascelles, Targett, Hall, Kelly

Goalies: Pope, Dubravka, Ruddy

 

[OCST]

There was a good piece in The Athletic about Newcastles trip to the States last summer- remember they were one of 6 PL teams to play a series of games here. The feeling was the strain of that trip - games close together, tge heat, the travel etc- took a lot out of the club and contributed to the run of injuries.

 

[Joe D Reid]

They were facing a point deduction if they didn't sell some talent. Elliott Anderson isn't a massive loss.

They had a decent season considering all the injuries. Plus Tonali was terrible when he played & then got suspended for gambling. He was the big off-season move last year (most expensive Italian player of All Time).

Without all the extra Euro matches the squad feels deep.

Forwards: Isak, Wilson, Gordon, Barnes

Midfielders: Joelinton, Bruno, Longstaff, Willock, Murphy, Miley, Almiron, Fraser, Tonali?,

Defenders: Schar, Burn, Botman, Livramento, Trippier, Lascelles, Targett, Hall, Kelly

Goalies: Pope, Dubravka, Ruddy

The lack of Euro games will definitely help and I agree that losing Anderson is no big deal on its own because Tonali and Miley would both come back into the team ahead of him. But there are a lot of guys on the wrong side of 30* (Schar, Burn, Wilson, Almiron, Trippier), many of whom broke down last year, who I think they would ordinarily be looking to sell on to Galatasaray or whatever and then replace with younger guys. Instead they had to sell a younger homegrown player so they could book the entire fee as profit. It's just an interesting insight into how this project will have to be run and seems to rule out the Saudis firehosing money at the club the way folks anticipated a few years back .

*I had assumed Joelinton was part of that group and couldn't believe that he is somehow only 27. He looks 37 and I feel like he has been in my life for decades.

 

[benhogan]

The lack of Euro games will definitely help and I agree that losing Anderson is no big deal on its own because Tonali and Miley would both come back into the team ahead of him. But there are a lot of guys on the wrong side of 30* (Schar, Burn, Wilson, Almiron, Trippier), many of whom broke down last year, who I think they would ordinarily be looking to sell on to Galatasaray or whatever and then replace with younger guys. Instead they had to sell a younger homegrown player so they could book the entire fee as profit. It's just an interesting insight into how this project will have to be run and seems to rule out the Saudis firehosing money at the club the way folks anticipated a few years back .

*I had assumed Joelinton was part of that group and couldn't believe that he is somehow only 27. He looks 37 and I feel like he has been in my life for decades.

Good point, about selling the older players. Trippier would have been the guy to sell high in my book.

 

[OCST]

Isn’t the club required by statute to have at least one Longstaff on the roster at all times?

 

[the1andonly3003]

Isn’t the club required by statute to have at least one Longstaff on the roster at all times?

They could get Will Smallbone from Soton