Nathan Ake

[Alberts__Lob]

There's been a few reports in the last few days that we're interested and he'll cost £50 million. Perhaps because Eddie worked with him at Bournemouth. Good player and big improvement on Lascelles but i'm not sure about 50 mill?

[trinitoon]

If we are only going to spend top-dollar on one player this window, it has to be on a striker.

I'd prefer to see several solid/young £20m players coming in than splashing the cash on glory players. We're not there yet. Players of that ilk should be purchased after next season.

[TANYA_]

Ake wouldn't get in our starting 11 imo, Botman is obviously club's first choice this summer.

I can see Lascelles going back to Forest so a deal for both is possible but i wouldn't pay top dollar for Ake.


I don't think we can attract top top striker yet either, when you look at the very best, like Haarland we have no chance.

The next level down are Vlahovic, Nunez etc we cant get these either. I reckon we will buy youngsters and develop them.

Ekiteke and that wonderkid from Nice would be good business. Callum Wilson is actually a very good striker who will get 15-20 goals in a full season if he stays fit. He has moved his family up to Newcastle instead of doing a 700 mile round trip which he blamed for his lack of fitness as well as Bruce. He wants to go to the world cup this winter and is not having any time off this summer so he can get in top condition for the new season

[trinitoon]

I don't think we can attract top top striker yet either

I'm with you. Especially on the comment above.

Having said that, I said "top dollar", which would only buy us a half-decent striker. But not one that obviously prioritises Champions League because we are nowhere near that, even if we do much better next season.

I just think that you'll be looking to spend £50 million on any decent player these days, including a £10 million+ premium just because it's Newcastle.

For me, Callum stays but he'll spend half the season injured. So our biggest deficiency remains in the striking department. Wood is the guy that doesn't give goals but he does contribute to the offensive threat. Hopefully in preseason, we start playing to his strengths a bit more. And he'll get himself together because it would be good to get more of an aerial threat.

[Alberts__Lob]

I'm hoping we buy one more striker after Ekitike. We can't rely on Wilson to stay fit, Wood isn't clinical enough and we don't want Ekitike to be put under pressure to score important goals at such a young age.

Perhaps if we sign Paqueta and Moussa Diaby we'll get more goals from midfield though

[trinitoon]

You really think we can get two new strikers? What would we do with Wood? Nobody is going to buy him at the money we've shelled out and I don't know what we're paying him in wages but he would be mad to agree to leave at this stage of his career.

[Alberts__Lob]

You really think we can get two new strikers? What would we do with Wood? Nobody is going to buy him at the money we've shelled out and I don't know what we're paying him in wages but he would be mad to agree to leave at this stage of his career.

I'm not convinced by Chris Wood. He was worth the transfer fee because he helped keep us up but imo he's not what we need to take us to the next level

I would take Emmanuel Dennis over Wood easily. 10 goals and 6 assists in his first season in a sh!te Watford team. And still only 24

[waalsendmick]

What a player costs is just numbers, ALL deals will be structured in such a way that both Howe and Ashworth are comfortable with AND also, within the clubs FFP targets and long term business plan.

Big figures are usually bravado between agents and clubs haply to be part of that bravado.

All I am interested in is....

Will he improve the squad?
Is he wanted by our manager?
Does he have the heart and attitude to do it for us?

ALL 3 must be a yes otherwise any signing would be waste of money, no matter who they are.

Ake is better than Fernández, Lascelles, Clark and probably Dummett, all of which are still at the club (some will be gone sooner rather than later)

I have said previously, I put my full trust in our manager and our recruitment process, I will no longer be judging players by transfer fees.

[Zippity]

I'm hoping we buy one more striker after Ekitike. We can't rely on Wilson to stay fit, Wood isn't clinical enough and we don't want Ekitike to be put under pressure to score important goals at such a young age.

Perhaps if we sign Paqueta and Moussa Diaby we'll get more goals from midfield though

I'm with you here, Albert.

We need another main striker. Wilson won't last and Wood not only isn't good enough but never will be. I agree with Trini that we won't get the best because, despite money talking, the best strikers want to be in the Champions League from the start. Wood is, indeed, a problem and it might be that we have to accept a loss if someone fancies him.

[Zippity]

Oh, and, to answer the thread, £50 million for Ake? Not a bloody chance. No thank you.