If it's £12.5m that's ok business, we'll be happy enough, though i think a real win for us would have been £14m+. They are taking a risk at that money as I'm not sure he's up to regular starts at PL level, that's not sour grapes to any Newcs readers, I think you've got a potentially cracking player, I think he will be better than Redmond, the plus for us is I believe Josh will too. I hope he does well. I'm happy though, that money is more valuable to us than Jacob given we have Josh and all the other capable players for his position. If we spend even two 3rd of that to further strengthen I reckon we'll be ready for a tilt at the league. But who bloody knows, it could be a monumental clusterf#ck of a season just as easily! Bah!
It's been interesting seeing (particularly on twitter) the idea emerge in the last few days that Josh is better than Jacob. That may have been the case two years ago, but Jacob's stint at Coventry was the making of him. There's a reason he was such a bigger part of last season than Josh. Josh may however be the bigger "natural talent", and hopefully seeing his brother get a dream move, plus a clearer path to the first team, will motivate him to develop into a big player for us. In terms of the overall picture of our squad, I don't think Josh is a like-for-like replacement, they play on opposite wings to start with. It leaves our wide players a bit unbalanced: Wildschut, Josh, Naismith, Pritchard, Jarvis, Wes and Pritchard are all more comfortable on the left, whilst we've lost Howson and Jacob from the right, leaving only Watkins? Having said that, as a team we may not be as reliant on traditional wingers? Alongside a 4-1-4-1 it looks like a 3-5-2/5-3-2 is being developed. In which case perhaps a versatile wing back may be a better addition. We're currently quite reliant on Husband and Pinto if we want to play that consistently. To finally comment on the fee, I don't think either club can feel they've got one over the other. I just hope we get a good amount up front, and have a sell-on clause. Hopefully it's enough money to make more 'luxury' squad improvements that Webber/Farke want.
In 4 or 5 years Naismith will be a club legend. Relegation clause I hear you say ? , It would have been an Insult to ask him to sign one. Worth every penny of his 35 grand a week .
I wish he had potential sales value! £8.5m of money we never really had pissed up the wall because Delia trusted AN implicitly
The details of this transfer will be important. If it's £12.5m plus add-ons, then I think we made a good deal. If it's £12.5 including add-ons, then not so good. As you say, DH, the amount of up front money will dfetermine if we are able to bring in say a Leistener or whoever.
I can't help thinking that Newcastle have over paid for Murphy. 12.5m for a player whose light hardly shone bright in the championship last season. I think we got a decent deal for a player that i never saw as being key for us this season.
Dream on Budgerigars... Lightning doesn't strike twice! Let's face it the only place you - desperate Huddersfield Town wannabes - are going is deep deep down the leagues! Can't wait for you despicable bird brains to fall flat on your soiled tail feathers once again!
I was talking about Jacob, the insults aimed at Naismith are old hat, people need to let go and move on. He's a Norwich player and he's going nowhere!
If true, this lad is pretty decent by all accounts. Another very tall lad. DCM/CM. Strong, hard working player. Good in the air. I Don't think he's much of a passer, but would hassle and break up the play. As long as he could win it back and play a simple pass to a Pritchard/Vrancic/Hoolahan/Maddison , then it would be a useful signing. Bit risky if we were to build our squad mainly of 2nd Division German players. http://readnorwich.com/2017/07/17/city-interested-nuremburg-midfielder/
On the Murphy discussion. With the hype, after he turned heads with the Coventry loan, and then had a terrific first season for us. His play during the U21 tournament. His Stock and hype is high. We are a selling club, and for us to sell a youth prospect for that kind of money is very, very rare for us. I think we would lose him eventually, I will be gutted when he leaves after only 1 season. It was so nice having academy players brighten up a depressing season. We have waited a long time to see it again. 12.5M (if true) is the towards the minimum I would expect. Other clubs get this kind of money for a prospect who has shown this kind of promise. For once we might get a slice of what everyone else has been doing. I certainly don't think Newcastle are getting shafted at that price. If you are taking the Premiership Millions (and have the financially backing of rich owners) You should be paying high prices. I can see Jacob (If given plenty of game time, which he should be demanding before the move. He's only just got out of one reserves!) Being on the fringes of the England set up soon, with the likes of Gray.
Was a joke, Dave. KIO was talking about Naismith, you appeared to respond as if it was Jake. Oh well, not the first time one of my flippant remarks has fallen flat. As far as moving on is concerned, personally I'm very happy with the way things are moving, far more so than if we were still stuck with Neil. May be a false dawn, but I'm optimistic as indeed I am about many things.