Maguire: Newcastle may be stuck with the next Jack Rodwell after blunder revealed
Newcastle United may be forced to pay their stars huge wages even if they are relegated – much like the situation involving Jack Rodwell at Sunderland.
That is according to finance expert and Football Insider columnist Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively after The Times published a report detailing Newcastle’s policy not to include relegation clauses in player contracts.
The story sparked fears among Newcastle fans that the club could be stuck paying around a £96.8million wage budget on a greatly reduced income in 2021-22.
Newcastle are currently floundering towards the bottom of the table, with just one point separating Steve Bruce’s side from 18th-place Fulham.
Maguire referenced the likes of Rodwell and Nikola Zigic and claimed that Newcastle could be lumbered with expensive failures if they are relegated.
He told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams: “There is one advantage to this from Newcastle’s perspective.
“If they are trying to recruit a player and he has got the choice of going to Brighton or Southampton or Newcastle, the other two clubs might offer the market rate but then say: ‘If we get relegated, there’s going to be a 25-30 per cent pay cut.’
“Newcastle might then pipe up and say: ‘We’ll offer you no relegation clause.’
“That is very persuasive, especially if you’re signing a three or four-year contract. Players know they have guaranteed money for the next four years if they go to Newcastle. It’s alluring and attractive. It gives the club a competitive advantage.
“If the player turns out to be Joelinton or any player that hasn’t really delivered, then you’ve got a big problem.
“We’ve seen it with the likes of Nikola Zigic at Birmingham and Jack Rodwell at Sunderland, you can be left with a very expensive, malfunctioning football player who is going to cost a lot of money over two or three years.”
Rodwell was the subject of much vitriol from Sunderland fans after continuing to pick up a mammoth wage from the club despite relegation in 2016-17.
He is currently on the books with Sheffield United but has played just twice since signing in January 2020.
In other news, Newcastle United are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Slavia Prague striker Jan Kuchta.