The transfer business has been shoddy and the club must surely take some blame for their troubles so far
Of all the most interesting scenes to imagine this summer, surely the pick of them is Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan, minority owner Jamie Reuben, and other delegates from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund going in a group up to Northumberland to meet with Alexander Isak and convince him to change his mind.
Did they take a narrow, windy road, and was the Sweden international nestled up in a dark tower, awaiting the arrival of the contingent? The better question of course – stepping away from the fantasy theme – is why it took PIF so long, two matches into the new season, to intervene and try to resolve matters.
Isak said in his message on social media that the club had known his position for a long time. Newcastle have denied that but where there’s smoke there’s fire. The Swede might still have a contract, but keeping an unhappy player is never ideal for any football club.
Nor does it reflect well on the hierarchy at Tyneside to say they never knew Isak’s position, the asset whom they have placed at a valuation of £150m. If they didn’t, of course they should have. If they expected him to put his head down anyway and honour his contract, no player has ever agitated for a move then?
If the situation were reversed and Isak wanted to stay, but the club wanted to move him on, would they be wrong in forcing him out? In the end, most people and organisations look out for their own interests.
The Sweden international might be accused of disrespect – that’s all well and good – but it still leaves Newcastle in a really poor position, scrambling with less than a week in the transfer window to sign not one but possibly two quality strikers.
This next season was supposed to be a highly positive one for the club, with Champions League football and their first major trophy in 55 years.
Last campaign had been excellent, Eddie Howe’s side proving they could compete with the best teams in the league, their midfield three of Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali able to rival any, and the club getting very close to finishing in second place, even if they did ultimately qualify for Europe only thanks to a boon from Manchester United and a controversial refereeing decision.
But what has followed in the summer has been uncertainty and chaos. It’s not too difficult to see what might frustrate a player like Isak. There have been complaints of delays in improving the club’s training ground and infrastructure. This summer, sporting director Paul Mitchell left the club and has not been replaced. Were the hierarchy unaware of that worthy’s position as well?
It was suggested at the time that his departure would not affect the club’s transfer dealings in the summer, but it has still left Eddie Howe and – checks notes to confirm – his nephew Andy Howe to handle the business.
The latter does not have the level of experience that a club with Newcastle’s aspirations would require, and Howe’s repeated mention of not being aware of several crucial points this summer – he found out about Isak’s timeout at Real Sociedad through the media, for example – shows that a lot of the off-pitch issues should have been entrusted into more capable hands.
Their approach to the striker hunt is also questionable. Failing to land one, two, three targets may be termed unlucky, but if it has kept happening all summer, is that still just luck or getting things wrong?
Four of those players – Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko – chose their rivals for the Champions League places over them. Why was a deal for Yoane Wissa, who clearly wants to join, delayed until Manchester United had acquired Bryan Mbeumo, making it difficult for Brentford to sanction a sale?
Why spend time making two bids, £50m and then £55m for Jorgen Strand Larsen, who only made his move to Wolves permanent this same summer – just a few weeks ago in fact – for £25m?
Couldn’t that have been done much earlier? Wolves don’t have a replacement now and selling the striker is tantamount to inviting relegation over for dinner at Molineaux.
Isn’t that situation similar to what Newcastle themselves are currently dealing with in Isak – unwilling to sanction the sale of an asset to a club higher up in the table, because it might affect their footballing fortunes?
The transfer business has been shoddy and Newcastle must surely take some blame for their woes so far.
Howe’s side have been brilliant in both their Premier League matches so far this season, especially this week against Liverpool when they fought back from 2-0 down with ten men, albeit eventually losing with almost the last kick of the game.
The tactical and footballing ability on Tyneside is not in doubt, but poor management by the hierarchy is threatening to blow it all to nothing.
