This New-found Money is Corrupting Our Transfer Policy

As is always the case, during this time of the year, transfer rumours are flying about everywhere. And strangely enough, Newcastle United always seem to be the most heavily engaged club in the transfer market.

We have so far been linked with over 100 different players this Summer alone, and the majority of these ‘targets’ seem to be strikers. Some of the names mentioned include Loïc Rémy, Andy Carroll and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Realistically, the only way we would splash out on a new striker is if Demba Ba leaves. He has been linked to several different clubs, all interested in prizing him away for the cut-price release clause of £7.5m.

However, for the third time this Summer, Demba Ba has reaffirmed this week him commitment to the club, saying “everything that is said is not true”. 

He continued, “The newspapers and I are not very friendly at the moment. For months and months and months, people have been talking about me, but there is nothing happening.

“Of course, I am looking forward to next season with Newcastle. We just have to build on the progress we made last season. For me, I just can’t wait to start the first game.”

I have not come across one fan who wants Demba Ba out of the club. The 16 goals he scored for us last season was an aberration: the new found belief he gave the club was perhaps one of the main reasons for our unexpected successes last term. 

Yet, Newcastle still seemed to be linked to ‘prolific’ strikers, all with a huge price tag attached to them. 

Don’t get me wrong, I fully believe the club need a new striker to fortify the already excellent strike force of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Hatem Ben Arfa, but I believe we’re looking in the wrong place. With Newcastle’s current strikers all 26 or older, Newcastle should go with a younger striker this summer.

Because we have been perpetually linked with these top European marksmen, us fans have been lulled into a false sense of expectation.

We might all want to see Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in a Newcastle United shirt, but to what end? The club do not need him and there’s no point squandering huge amounts of money on a futile and unnecessary signing.

It’s almost as if we’re returning to the desperate days of splashing out excessive money on old talent only to find that it’s a flop – Michael Owen (£16.8m), Marcelino (£5.8m), Albert Luque (£9.5m), Carl Cort (£7m)to name a few.

The club have developed a reputation for making astute signings at low costs. Now that we have the money, it would only be detrimental to return to that old approach. Instead, we should pursue young players who could provide back up to the venomous front three: they would be cheap and would would earn invaluable experience learning from the best. 😉

Amid all of these ‘big’ names, some names have caught my eye:

• John Guidetti – The 20 year old would cost less than £10m and has proven his goalscoring ability in the Eredivisie this year, notching up 20 goals in just 23 appearances for Feyenoord.
• Alvaro Morata – The 19 year old is currently at Real Madrid and has notched up a very healthy total of 11 goals in 13 Spanish Under 19 international matches. He would not cost more than £8m
• Hassan Hissein – The 20 year old, since his debut in 2006, has scored 105 goals in 189 games for Foullah Edifice. Would be no more than £1m.

I’m sure many of you won’t agree with me, but I strongly believe that the club should rethink their strategy. Keeping the current front three should be a priority. We should then buy into into young talent: it’s economical and effective.

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