Alan Shearer is just as frustrated as every Newcastle United fan at the club’s tepid start to the summer transfer window.
Alan Shearer is expecting a “rocky couple of years” at Newcastle United after losing several top stars.
Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have all bailed the Saudi-backed project in the last 12 months. To make matters worse, club captain Bruno Guimaraes is also keen to join Arsenal this summer.
Toon chiefs are also struggling to attract their first-choice targets - mirroring what happened last year. The first team returned to pre-season on Monday as preparations begin for the Premier League opener on August 23.
Alan Shearer frustration
Amid the chaos, the recruitment setup are desperately attempting to give Eddie Howe the tools to launch a successful season. Arsenal have not yet made a formal approach for Guimaraes and alternative targets to Johan Manzambi - who Aston Villa hijacked - are being identified.
On the frustrating start to the summer, Shearer told Betfair: "I just think from a Newcastle fan point of view that you've lost your best player last year in terms of (Alexander) Isak for whatever reason. You've lost Anthony Gordon for whatever reason.
“You've lost Tonali for whatever reason. And clearly, if Bruno was to go, then that would be four of your top players gone within two years. And there's obviously been a shift in how they're going to sign players. They are going to go out and sign young, hungry players. But that in itself doesn't guarantee you success.
“It is a really important couple of months coming up for Newcastle because they've obviously sold players for big money and they've got a couple of youngsters in. But sometimes youngsters need time to develop as well, instead of coming into the pressure cooker of the Premier League and a big club like Newcastle. So, there are no guarantees. It's been a frustrating time off the field for Newcastle fans at the minute.”
‘Rocky couple of years’ - Alan Shearer
While backing Howe as the man to lead Newcastle, Shearer also told supporters to expect turbulence before the situation improves. He added: "I don't expect us to be challenging the top six next season. Because of the situation we're in, I think Newcastle, we might have to accept that we might have a couple of rocky years or 18 months that are back to building and back to getting some sort of stability.
"I think what Eddie Howe has done at Newcastle. What he's done for us, he's without doubt the man to take Newcastle into the season regardless of what is going on."
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