Newcastle’s £91m transfer spree celebrated but questions still left unanswered

Newcastle brought in five new players and splashed out £91million strengthening all areas of the pitch – but deals for ambitious top targets stalled, and another creative forward player missed out on

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In the 14 January windows under Mike Ashley, Newcastle spent around £91m on new players.

The new Saudi funded ownership have taken just 31 days in January to match that £91m sum.

That sort of investment is celebrated on a Tyneside used to deadline day duds, but a question is also hanging. Have they done enough?

Have they landed enough of their top targets? Are the five new faces big upgrades?

How can you spend £91m, have £40m more available, and only bolster the attack with Chris Wood?

The only meaningful answer will come by May if Newcastle stay in the Premier League, but despite the spending, the jury is still out on the success of the window given their financial firepower.

This was 31 days of playing catch up, and patch up, to revive a squad that was neglected and stagnated in recent years.

Even now – because of some high-profile much-needed failed deals – the outlay doesn’t absolutely guarantee their Premier League survival.

If United learn anything from this window, it must be how to land their top targets.

Defenders Sven Botman, Diego Carlos were price hiked, and fell away. On deadline day Jesse Lingard’s loan move was blocked by Manchester United and Reims teenage striker Hugo Ekitike’s refusal to commit despite a £33m deal being agreed.

But they have bought extra tools, two big upgrades, squad options, and optimism, and Tyneside fans would rather this than the deadline day duds of years gone.

The injection of new talent simply solidifies them as a worthy Premier League club, catching up with rivals who have spent much bigger in past seasons.

Credit is being given to the new owners, led by Amanda Staveley, and guided by Howe and head of recruitment Steve Nickson. At least they want better and tried.

It is only the start of the “exciting” vision outlined to the players and Howe last week in Jeddah by 80pc owners, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

Geordie fans have loved the novelty of lots of transfer cash being sloshed around.

A debate is raging over whether they have enough creativity and goal threat.

Bruno Guimaraes, the Brazil playmaker, landed for £40m, is the biggest coup.

A ball carrier from deep, a passer and hard to dispossess, he will wrestle more control in midfield. A big upgrade.

Kieran Trippier too. The first current England international to sign for Newcasle since Michael Owen 16 years ago, and for just £12m.

He adds delivery from the right, tenacity in one to one duels and leadership. Expect him to be the captain one day soon.

Striker Chris Wood’s £25m arrival damaged relegation rivals Burnley, worth £10m of the fee alone. He has a decent goals record, won multiple aerial duels in the win at Leeds, but yet to score and could end up on the bench when Callum Wilson returns.

The return home to Tyneside of Cramlington lad Dan Burn is left-field but made sense, given he’s been one of Brighton’s best players this season.

But deals for top defensive targets Botman and Carlos faltered, amid claims of price hikes and a “Newcastle tax” because of their wealth.

Newcastle have had problems at left back, Burn can cover there, and Matt Targett’s arrival on loan from Aston Villa adds a specialist.

Until he sold up in October Mike Ashley ran a tight financial ship, avoiding the risk of getting into long term external debt.

In 2021 the only arrival was Joe Willock first on loan then in the summer for £25m.

In the summer of 2020, Steve Bruce extracted £25m or so out of Mike Ashley to land Callum Wilson – without his goals they’d have gone down – and Jamaal Lewis. Jeff Hendrick was signed on a free, along with Ryan Fraser.

The summer of 2019, Allan Saint Maximin arrived for £16m, Emile Krafth for £6m, and Andy Carroll on a free and scored once.

These days the Toon are in a different investment league, and that’s a welcome, celebrated boost. So the concerns and failed deals on this window need to be seen in that context.

They are spending way beyond their current means, with the likelihood of multi-Saudi sponsorship deals in the pipeline to balance the books and bolster income.

This window won’t be the last Newcastle splurge as the Saudis flex their financial muscle, build foundations, and look to be associated with Premier League force, rather than relegation strugglers.