‘Shambolic’ Newcastle United claim issued after transfer twist – pundit
Newcastle United have sorted out their “shambolic” defence and do not have to buy any more new players this summer.
That is the view of ex-Premier League striker Noel Whelan, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Newcastle’s transfer business.
They confirmed earlier this week the arrival (28 June) of Sven Botman while Matt Targett and Nick Pope have also moved on permanent deals this summer.
The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope reported on Thursday (30 June) that the Magpies will now take a step back in the transfer market before turning their attention to reinforcements in the final third towards the end of the window.
“They needed another centre-half, that’s for sure, and they got their man there,” Whelan told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“They needed another goalkeeper and they’ve got a very good one there.
“We know they’ve filled the two full-back roles so that’s your back line, your back five sorted.
“They’ve brought [Bruno] Guimaraesinto midfield so that’s a very important midfield player in.
“With your strikers you’ve got Wilson back fully fit and Wood is there, you’ve got Saint-Maximin too.
“When you look at their full squad, the full list of players, if they’re all fit, it’s enough.
“I think they’ve covered the right areas they needed to. Straight away, we knew the defence for Newcastle was shambolic until Eddie Howe came in.
“He brought the new players, made the changes and they became a lot more solid defensively under Eddie Howe and didn’t lose that attacking flair.
“They’ve got a nice balance and with the added players that have come in this summer, I think they’ll be very competitive, I don’t see them nowhere near the bottom three.
“They are skating very close to that financial fair play rule so if they’ve got any players they can sell or offload to generate more money to buy another player, that will need to be done pretty quickly.”
In other news, a finance guru has revealed Newcastle United are being “used by the Big Six” amid the latest from Premier League HQ.