A transfer window assessment

We could complain, but we can’t complain:

Newcastle made significant inroads in the transfer market this summer, signing five players for £50m. Incredibly, that is the Toon’s highest ever expenditure, surpassing last year’s £37m, and the 05/06 spend of £30m (over half of that was spent on a crock named Michael). Before the West Ham game, Newcastle fans were promised investment, and nobody could suggest they didn’t get it.

Not only can Newcastle fans be pleased with the figure spent, but they can also admire the standard of the recruits brought in. As I’ve written before, Wijnaldum, Thauvin, Mitrovic, and Mbemba each in their own way vastly improve the squad. Add that to last year’s purchases of Janmaat, de Jong, and Perez, and Newcastle are generally buying well. Yes, there’s always some duds, but all teams make bad purchases – just ask Liverpool fans.

I want to suggest though that our ability to judge Newcastle’s successes or otherwise in the transfer market is conditioned by the lenses of history and expectation. What do I mean by this? Well, as Newcastle fans we know the deal when it comes to transfer policy. Young, potential, affordable, sell-on value. Rinse, wash, repeat. The scrooge like level of fiscal control has also seen the Ashley regime badly let down Newcastle fans in the past, with the worst event undoubtedly Joe Kinnear’s shambolic summer which saw only an on-loan Loic Remy walk through the door.

So, when Giorginio, Florian, Aleksandr, and Chancel rock up (in tuxedos, apparently), the joy of the Toon army is well understood. Not only is this a collection of very decent players, but it looks like the best possible outcome for a club ruled by Ashley. We, as Newcastle fans already discounted the possibility of signing anybody over 28, or spending big on a player with a year left on his contract. What I’m trying to argue is that there is a very legitimate critique to be had of Newcastle’s performance in the transfer window this summer. They could have done a lot more. I’m not necessarily talking amount of money spent, more, what else could they have spent it on. Like him or loathe him, Yohan Cabaye was available this summer. There was even speculation about Michael Carrick and Ashley Cole – both would have added some valuable experience to a youthful squad. And then, Charlie Austin. It’s understandable, £15m is a lot. But they could have done it, and some strike force they would have.

As it is, we are happy with Newcastle this summer. And rightly so. They’ve invested, brought in quality, and seem now to want success on the pitch. But we shouldn’t forget that our ability to determine Newcastle’s successes or failures on transfers is wholly dependent on the standard to which we hold them. At the moment, our expectations are tempered by a particular set of principles to which Newcastle hold dear. So, we shouldn’t complain, but it can always be better.