Following a remarkable transformation from relegation candidates to Champions League qualifiers, there had been one or two question marks externally about the direction of travel at Newcastle United. Dan Ashworth wanted to leave after less than two years as sporting director. The Magpies missed out on Europe following an injury-ravaged campaign. There was an 11th-hour dash to raise funds to avoid a points deduction. And part-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi suddenly stepped down.
However, it feels like the next phase of this ambitious project is now getting under way. Newcastle have appointed Paul Mitchell as sporting director and James Bunce has quickly followed as performance director. The pair are not joining the club to merely make up the numbers in the Premier League. They want to one day disrupt the established order – just like those at the very top.
After all, the club, themselves, have stated that PIF and RB Sports increasing their respective stakes to 85% and 15% respectively is part of a long-term plan to become a ‘consistently credible competitor’. Not only in the top-flight but, also, in Europe in the long run.
Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has spoken of targeting ‘long-term sustainable success’. Fellow part-owner Jamie Reuben has stressed that the journey to ‘transform Newcastle into a major force that competes at the highest level continues’. Even Staveley, in her closing remarks, has vowed that the club will receive the ‘required support’ from the PIF and the Reubens
This summer is a case in point. Newcastle are again having to contend with financial restrictions, but the Magpies are targeting significant additions just like they have in each of the owners’ summer windows to date. The club’s business is certainly far from over following the signings of Lloyd Kelly, Odysseas Vlachodimos, John Ruddy and Lewis Hall on permanent deals.
However, this has been a window like no other. Last summer was a record-breaking trading period in the Premier League – an estimated £2.44bn was spent – and Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Dominik Szoboszlai and Sandro Tonali had all completed big-money moves at this stage a year ago. In contrast, 12 months on, the market has been noticeably quieter even if Archie Gray, Joshua Zirkzee, Ian Maatsen and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have been among headline additions at Spurs, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively.
Manchester City and Liverpool, for instance, have yet to do business while the biggest signings Arsenal and Newcastle have made are players these clubs were obliged to sign permanently following loan spells last season. Should that come as a huge surprise?
Not only has there been the spectre of international tournaments – the Euros and the Copa America have obviously only just finished – but the PSR regime has bared its ‘teeth’ in the words of Newcastle CEO Darren Eales. The punishments dished out to Everton and Nottingham Forest last season have focused minds in boardrooms up and down the country and clubs are cautiously taking stock, wary of making a wrong move that could have a knock-on effect in windows to come.
It is also worth noting that Newcastle are among those clubs looking at a particularly small pool of players who can actually improve the side in a window where the black-and-whites will need to be smart to strengthen several starting positions. These are not straightforward deals to do given clubs’ reluctance to sell prized assets and the competition from elsewhere as Newcastle have already discovered with Michael Olise and even a free agent like Tosin Adarabioyo.
Newcastle may have to hold their nerve to get the right player as the market starts to heat up and Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has predicted a ‘crescendo’ of activity next month after coaches have had time to work with their players in pre-season and ‘opinions will be more set’. There could be one or two surprises yet.
