In a positive move, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley revealed in his first ever TV interview on ‘Survival Sunday’ that the club are now in a position to “punch above [their] weight” financially and be more ambitious; having promised to stay at the club “until [they] win something”, that means big signings to achieve a long-awaited trophy or Top Four spot.
As the Magpies close in on their new manager to take the club to the next level, the next chosen one will live or die by the quality of players at his disposal. A £50m splurge is needed to transform Newcastle into contenders, despite the arrival of Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow from loan at Nottingham Forest.
Last season, a relegation fight saw Newcastle finish 15th in the Premier League, after a spate of injuries and suspension of key men. Strength in depth was a real issue.
A backbone of Steven Taylor, Cheick Tioté and Papiss Cissé ended Chelsea’s 21-game unbeaten streak in December. However, after the loss of these three men, Newcastle endured eight straight defeats. Upgrading the central area is, therefore, vital to cope with the inevitable blows of such a Premier League season.
Whether it is Steve McLaren or another new man in charge, these are the positions and players that The Magpies must add to make the club a permanent force to be reckoned with again.
- Loïc Rémy — Chelsea, Striker
The former Newcastle man lit up St. James’ Park with 14 goals in 26 games during his loan season in 2013/14.
Signing for Chelsea got him the Champions League football he craved, yet he played second fiddle to Diego Costa and third to Didier Drogba, making only one start in Europe’s most prestigious competition. Similarly in the Premier League, he started only six times with a further 13 sub appearances, scoring seven goals. Much like another ex-Newcastle striker, Demba Ba, he was wasted at Stamford Bridge.
Back at Newcastle, Rémy would be the main man again, whoever the new manager is. However, the club are already being linked with another Chelsea forward, The Championship Player of the Season Patrick Bamford. Should Steve McLaren — Bamford’s coach in a loan spell at Derby in 2014 — get the top job, then the youngster may well be playing in black and white next season.
- Virgil van Dijk — Central Defender, Celtic
The 23 year-old goal-scoring centre-half is looking for a fresh challenge and hopes a move to the Premier League from Celtic would bolster his Dutch international chances. Playing in the same club side as Netherlands World Cup stars, Tim Krul and Daryl Janmaat, at St. James’ Park would do his chances no harm at all and he could become a key man for The Magpies.
At 6ft 4in, he has the physical attributes to compete in the Premier League and his pacey, confident ball-playing style would add fresh impetus to the ageing defence, and replace the sold Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. Certainly, his knack for scoring headed goals from corners and free kicks, as well as a direct free kick-taking ability of his own, would add another dimension to a Newcastle side crying out for set-piece specialists.
- Will Hughes — Derby County, Central Midfield
If Newcastle were to appoint Steve McLaren as their new manager then they would be in pole position to sign Will Hughes, the 20-year-old midfield starlet Nigel Clough compared to Liam Brady.
High praise indeed, yet the nimble-footed playmaker with an eye for a pass and a goal has steadily risen up the England youth ranks to Under 21 level. Further, he has impressed in The Championship and seems destined for the Premier League and full England honours.
Derby’s Player of the Year 2014/15, Hughes was also named in The Championship Team of the Year 2013/14 aged just 19, and has attracted attention from Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United.
- Zlatko Junuzović — Werder Bremen, Set-Piece Specialist, Right Wing
Newcastle United’s set-pieces are in vast need of improvement; so, why not sign the best free-kick taker in Europe last season — Austrian direct-ball specialist Zlatko Junuzović? Since Yohan Cabaye left, the Magpies haven’t scored direct from a free-kick. Marksman Junuzović scored four for his club last season and his ability would be a game-changer.
Predominantly right-footed yet adept on both flanks, he’s an intelligent player who takes superb corners and free-kicks to set up others, adding a potent string to Newcastle’s bow. At 27 and an Austrian international, he would have the experience to slot straight into the side and succeed in the Premier League.
- Jetro Willems — PSV Eindhoven, Left-Back
Jet by name and nature, the lightning-fast PSV title-winning full-back would add rocket fuel to the Newcastle back four and an attacking dynamism. Newcastle sold Davide Santon to Inter Milan in January and were forced to play Jack Colback and Jonas Gutierrez at left-back when Paul Dummett and Massadio Haïdara were both injured at the same time.
Although Dummett has proved a revelation at centre-half and left-back this season, acquiring another specialist like Willems would only bolster the Magpies’ first team and squad further.
Ear-marked by Sir Alex Ferguson as ‘the next Patrice Evra’, Willems was the youngest ever player to feature in a Euro fixture at Belgium 2012, has 15 caps to date and is destined for big things.
- Alireza Jahanbakhsh — NEC, Left or Right Wing
‘The Flying Persian’ as he is known, is a highly dangerous and confident Iranian winger. Fast, tall at 5ft 11in, and strong, he is an athletic box of tricks that can set up and score goals — he notched 12 and provided 18 assists in the 2014/15 season.
Runner-up to Memphis Depay in the 2013/14 Eredivisie Young Player of the Year in a relegation season with NEC, he was named the 2014/15 Player of the Season when NEC were promoted back to the Dutch top flight.
A full Iran international with 15 Caps and one goal, he is highly rated by outgoing national coach, Carlos Queiroz.
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