Although Newcastle United are reluctant to match Brentford’s outrageous £60m price tag for Yoane Wissa, they could afford it in theory.
Following the departure of Callum Wilson on a free transfer, Newcastle envisage Yoane Wissa as the Englishman’s replacement – a move for the Brentford forward isn’t related to Alexander Isak’s future.
Newcastle are disappointed with Isak’s public statement, and if they do end up selling their Swedish number nine, they will bring in a replacement.
That being said, TBR Football’s football finance expert Adam Williams has now provided an insight into the funds Newcastle could have left to spend this month in theory.
Eddie Howe’s side continue to be linked with a raft of strikers right now, and there’s every reason to think that two big names, one being Wissa, could arrive before September 1st.
PSR can’t stop Newcastle from dropping more than £100m on two new strikers
Sharing his insight into Newcastle’s situation, Williams began: “My instinct before the window opened was that Newcastle would have up to £200m net to spend. Broadly, I think that’s still the case. They have both the PSR capacity and the liquid cash available.
“That kind of budget would give them ample room to significantly improve the squad while retaining their top talent and giving themselves some margin for error if they have a disastrous season and PSR becomes an issue again.
Eddie Howe during Newcastle pre-season.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
“As it stands, they are fine under the Premier League’s financial rules, but you need to think two or three years ahead when you’re making these calculations.
“UEFA’s rules could be more touch-and-go, but they don’t carry a particularly significant punishment if it’s a small breach of the squad cost element of their system.
“Newcastle are at about £120m in terms of expenditure so far, and under £100m in net terms. So, there’s no doubt in my mind that they have gas left in the tank.
“They could quite easily bow to Brentford’s demands and spend £50-60m on Wissa, plus another forward for a similar price.”
READ MORE: Alexander Isak uttered two words in his first Newcastle interview which say it all amid Liverpool saga
Newcastle will struggle to reinvest their Alexander Isak funds effectively
Earlier this month, Liverpool made a bid to sign Isak from Newcastle, and it’s broadly expected that the Sweden international will be wearing red at the end of the window.
But in terms of reinvesting those funds, it’ll be difficult to do so in an effective manner before the end of August.
Williams continued: “If Isak ends up going, then they would reinvest all of that cash too – but it’s a matter of when.
“They are going to struggle to do that and get value for money before the window shuts, so it would almost certainly have to wait.
Alexander Isak in action during a Premier League clash between Newcastle and Ipswich
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
“PIF won’t have set a fixed budget per se. I think it will be more about striking when they think there’s value in the market.
“That has been the strategy so far, and it’s paid off. It’s only this window that they have been really frustrated.
“I think that is partly a consequence of becoming a bigger fish. It’s growing pains. In Amanda Staveley, I think they’ve lost a very valuable public face too, someone who can sell the ‘project’ to players.
“But they could quite comfortably go and spend another £80-100m and bear the corresponding wages without needing to make any kind of significant financial adjustment.
“It’s not PSR stopping them from spending on the same level as, say, Man United this summer, contrary to the narrative that is out there. This is all about their timing and their strategy.”
READ MORE: Michael Owen has now used just two words to describe Newcastle United as a club
How much will Newcastle spend before the transfer window closes?
In summary, Williams stated that Newcastle could easily spend more than £100m before the end of the month.
In terms of how much they’ll actually part with in reality – that’s a much more difficult answer.
Player Age Joined from
Anthony Elanga 23 Nottingham Forest
Jacob Ramsey 24 Aston Villa
Malick Thiaw 24 AC Milan
Aaron Ramsdale 27 Southampton
Antonito Cordero 18 Malaga CF
Newcastle’s arrivals so far this summer.
Although it would be surprising if Newcastle stopped at Wissa, there’s every likelihood that they will still spend another £100m or so before the transfer window ends across two players.
In terms of the club’s targets to potentially replace Isak, that’s seemingly a fairly long list right now.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen is another candidate now being mentioned, and in terms of other Premier League names, Nicolas Jackson’s situation at Chelsea remains unresolved.
Clearly there will be a lot of moving pieces over the next two weeks or so.
And before then, Newcastle will lock horns with Liverpool in the Premier League, a game that might soon be dubbed, ‘The Alexander Isak Derby.’