Atsu talks start

Not really pennies if our total budget is around £70million as predicted. We need some top quality additions so it wont go far. Probably not far enough considering how many areas need considerable strengthening.

 

Buy first, sell second isn't a terrible strategy, and certainly an improvement on us offloading players to raise funds then failing to get any of their replacements 'over the line,'

 

Looks like this is a done deal - just announced on BBC live updates at £6.5million.

 

He's ok but only a minor improvement in my eyes. I think most would see 3-4 proven players as a better investment than 10 minor improvements. On the plus side we know what we're getting and he will shift some shirts - plus would be good off the bench. A very, very poor mans Ben Arfa though.

Linked to Jay Rodriguez today but also saw:


That's about half the price we're paying here! Man City do vary in their sales, there are times when they just seem to accept anything to get rid of a player. Delph would be good for us.

 

I'm happy that we've moved swiftly to secure the deal. He's young, quick and can have an impact on a game. Decent for the squad and the kind you wanton the bench to help change things up a bit.

I guess Rafa will want fast attacking options for the Prem as, let's be honest, we're not going to be out-playing teams and so will rely a lot on counter-attacking.

That said, I agree with Windy/Tasty. If that's around 1/10th of our budget on a squad player then we need some really smart dealing.

We need quality all down the spine of the team and those positions are not cheap to fill in the Prem. We need to sign at least 4 'first team starters' - ideally about 6, but can 't see that happening - and the budget will be stretched.

Can see us needing to supplement with some loan signings, with the view to surviving/consolidating in the Prem and then building up incrementally.

 

The bottom line is that we actually have no idea how much money we have to spend - which is probably a good thing, cos if we know then others know. As Hank has pointed out - every penny generated could be taken in many different ways. Whatever the money is though, it will sound more than it is. All that matters right now is that we know Rafa is happy with it and we just need to trust that he knows what he is doing. He won't be wanting to be involved in a relegation scrap, but let's not kid ourselves. Getting established as anything other than a promoted club will take a while. I will be happy if he manages to turn us into a comfortable mid-table team next season, but I will be satisfied if he keeps us up.

 

Presume Rafa knows who he wants to keep and Atsu was one of them. Nolito is presumably cheaper as he is 30 now. Looked like he was going to Real Betis but he is 100k a week so he might prefer to stay in UK. Cant believe we would offer him that much. From the little I saw of hom he was a bit hit and miss.

 

Let's not kid ourselves Nev, NOTHING could keep you up, you lazy git.

 

When a player is on huge wages they tend to have to drop the asking rice to off load them, effectively subsidising the wages since players often won't move if they are going to be paid less.

 

I have mixed feelings about Atsu. Theres something there in his game which makes me think he may be a good player but then he has real bad games. For 6 million..... I am unsure. If it was say £3m plus addons on achieving say survival then i would say yes.

My concern is where is his best position. If it is RW then we have Ritchie and we are really REALLY weak down the left.

 

Preferred position RW - but he's left footed?

 

Many wide players like to cut inside, like the 1970's Dutch side often did.

 

https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/magpies-confirm-atsu-arrival confirmed bar work permit

 

Good - decent, not spectacular addition to the squad

 

Good start. An upgrade on Gouffran. Now we need Townsend or someone like him.

 

Happy with that.

 

I'm not allowing this as a signing, he was already there. Just cos Pards is gone doesn't mean the old tricks of "like a new signing" are acceptable. And if Rafa says anything about a line.....

 

Some one like......



Ben Arfa?