Pundit issues ‘big-money’ Newcastle United claim after new development
Noel Whelan has backed Newcastle to join Premier League’s elite in the “near future” after their rapid progress under their new ownership.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, praised the club’s backroom setup for “making all the right decisions” since their installation.
This week marks a year since Newcastle were bought out by a Saudi-backed consortium fronted by businesswoman Amanda Staveley.
The mega-rich owners have masterminded the appointments of manager Eddie Howe and director of football Dan Ashworth, as well as splashing almost £210million in the transfer market (as per Transfermarkt).
Signings such as Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes have helped transform Newcastle from relegation candidates into an established top-half side.
Whelan claimed a push into the Premier League’s top six is simply a formality for Howe’s side.
When asked if he thought Newcastle can become a European mainstay in the next few seasons, he told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “I do.
“Just look at the signings they’ve made over the past year. Chris Wood is the only one with a question mark, but I think they needed him at the time – they were short.
“But they’ve become so competitive and brought in a good manager.
“They’re making all the right decisions on and off the pitch at the moment. They know they can’t get the top players, but they’re getting the best of the rest.
“They’re really building a solid side and have paid big money to do so.
“These players are going to be at the club for a long time.
“For them to come so far in such a short time, you can only see them joining that top group of clubs in the near future. They’re using the money in exactly the right areas.”
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