· December 24 2024, 15:30
Newcastle United fans will be hoping that all the talk of the club not spending in January is just rhetoric from the club to temper expectations.
Profit and Sustainability Rules have been a massive issue for Newcastle recently. The club had to let two promising midfielders leave in the summer just to comply with the Premier League's restrictions.
Despite all the talk of £70 million bids for Marc Guehi (long since debunked), there's still not much headroom for Newcastle to play with without selling players first, which is something they've famously been absolutely terrible at since the PIF came in.
There is so much dead wood at Newcastle right now that if a flood ever came and washed the club away they'd all be able to float down the river on the backs of the players who should have moved on ages ago.
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Signing Marc Guehi would have meant Newcastle HAD to sell players
Chris Waugh has told fans not to expect much transfer activity next month
When asked about whether a right-winger would be acquired in January, The Athletic's Chris Waugh agreed that would be the most likely position that was strengthened, however, he went on to say that he's not expecting the club to be active when it comes to incomings.
"Right wing is the most likely position Newcastle will strengthen in this January, followed by right-sided centre-back, given they are the two areas of the team that have not actually been reinforced post-takeover. A goalkeeper, such as [James] Trafford, may arrive if [Martin] Dubravka leaves, although the noises are that the Slovakia international may not be replaced mid-season.
"But (and sorry to be the bearer of negative news) there is a strong possibility that Newcastle do not sign anyone at all next month. PSR-wise, it may be in the club’s long-term interests financially to avoid spending this month if they can."
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Newcastle were taking a big risk when pursing Marc Guehi
Waugh has explained a few times before that the money that the club was willing to spend on Marc Guehi (which, again, was nowhere near £70 million), would have had a huge impact on the club's finances and would have made it imperative that they sold players in January or we'd be faced with another summer like the one just gone where players who the club would prefer to keep would have to be sold.
There's a long list of players that Newcastle have available for transfer in January, but whether they can find any suitors is the big problem. Most of them are on high wages and finding a club willing to fork out a similar amount after paying a transfer fee just seems highly unlikely.
If these players can lower their expectations, and perhaps the club also lowers their expectations when it comes to transfer fees we can start to clear finances that way. Just getting players off the wage bill would be an advantage at this point.