With the January transfer window fast approaching, all eyes will be on sporting director Paul Mitchell as Newcastle United look to bolster their ranks.
Profit and sustainability rules [PSR] continue to wreak havoc with clubs’ ability to spend, meaning Eddie Howe has used the last two months to temper expectations over what his side can do in the winter market. Mitchell is yet to sign a player for the Magpies and will be plotting how to make that possible in the coming weeks.
But what is the priority for the former Monaco man? That question was put to the Daily Mirror’s Simon Bird on this week’s Everything is Black and White podcast episode, with the North East football reporter delivering his January verdict.
“I think they’re going to have to work out deals to get rid of fringe players to free up whatever the money can,” Simon told episode host Andrew Musgrove. “It might not be a massive sum, it might not be huge amounts of wages as if you sell a big star, but you’ve got to keep your big stars and work the fringes as best you can early in that window to see what leeway you can get.
“It is a difficult window for him [Mitchell] to earn his crust but that’s the first port of call that he’s got to do. Have a bit of a clear out and as I mentioned in past podcasts when we sat down with Paul Mitchell a few weeks after he arrived, he talked about like a recycling of the squad that you could get every window – he was looking at like three in, three out.
“Maybe you could get more out this time but three [incomings] in this January window with the PSR restrictions is probably ambitious. I think they probably settle for one big one – but that’s what he was looking at in terms of a three-year reworking of the squad.
“Now interestingly we spoke to Eddie Howe today and I think the question ‘Does your squad needs refreshing?’ was mentioned, and I think he didn’t like the word refreshing – and he did say that it might well be that they don’t bring anyone in in January and we leave it till the summer.
Now, I don’t know whether we think that’s Eddie Howe speaking the truth or playing down playing down expectations. But I think that point there about getting players out the door and money in is the first port of call.
“Do some deals as early as you can, clear things out and then see where you are and see if the availability is there for them.”
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