What Newcastle United can expect from wealthy new ownership
By Trent Nelson
After 13 years of Mike Ashley as the owner of the Newcastle United Magpies, a new, and remarkably wealthy interest appears on the precipice of purchasing the team.
Newcastle United are on the verge of being purchased by a business venture, headlined by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman himself. Using Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), his £300 million takeover is likely to change the landscape of the English Premier League.
While PIF would retain 80% of the controlling interest, their further investment into the club, which is expected, creates an enormous potential for returns for both Newcastle United as well as Saudi Arabia itself. Who the Magpies invest in, now that they have the resources to make a massive push forward, becomes a key question.
Furthermore, asking who manages the club becomes as important as who will be playing for Newcastle come the new campaign in August. While some good, young players exist at Newcastle currently, turnover should be expected over the coming transfer windows.
Newcastle United: Who becomes boss?
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Assuming Steve Bruce does not carry on in this new regime, who does Newcastle United choose to hire as manager? There are qualified names who may be interested or at the very least agreeable to come for the correct wages.
The first name that comes to mind is Mauricio Pochettino; anyone who has read my writing here knows I feel quite strongly about his ability as a manager. I felt his dismissal at Tottenham was cheap and unwarranted, reactionary and shortsighted.
While he recently expressed interest in returning to North London one day, should the opportunity present itself, Newcastle may offer him another club to grow a legacy at.
With reports suggesting all parties may feel similar to myself, it would usher in an era at Newcastle that is a breath of fresh air for both the club and its new manager.
At Tottenham, the success Poch created was from limited transfer moves; this does not discount the talent they had or purchased under him, simply to qualify that it was not an Arsenal or Manchester United circumstance by any stretch of the imagination.
Should that deal fall through, other names to watch include Jorge Jesus, Julian Nagelsmann, Arsène Wenger, Santiago Solari or Unai Emery. What the appointment of a new, well-respected manager after the change of ownership can provide is step one in the innovations surrounding Newcastle.
Transfers and Transfers and Transfers
Step two will play out in the transfer market; Newcastle is among a handful of teams in England whom still are seen as buyers this summer; Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United make up the list.
With this and the diminishing returns many transfers are looking to garner in this current global circumstance understood, the Magpies stand in position to scoop up many useful players should their skipper attract them to the soon-to-be intriguing football outfit.
Now, while I could go on about the players at each position available to Newcastle once they’ve chosen their new manager, that is an even greater exercise in speculation than thinking about a potential choice of a boss. This is chiefly because each boss will have their own disorder targets; I could not do that adequate justice without an in-depth piece on the matter.
With this said, names will abound this summer, for a reduced fee, and especially for teams with the amount of capital Newcastle is now bringing to the English transfer window. Names like Willian, Julian Weigel, Mario Götze, Adrien Rabiot, Andre Onana, Kepa, Dusan Tadic and even Alexandre Lacazette may all be available come the summer, and that may be neglecting numerous other high profile players.
With steps one and two accomplished to varying degrees, we can return to the initial query; what can be expected from Newcastle United and their new ownership?
Progress for the Magpies of Newcastle
What can be expected genuinely, is marked progress from recent history for Newcastle United. The quality already at the club means that a total revamping will not be entirely necessary; players like Allan Saint-Maximin, Danny Rose, Andy Carrol, Joelinton and Miguel Almiron are all incredibly useful as this new era of football is set to begin.
Getting a high-quality manager around those players will be key, and with the resources at that mangers disposal, they will have all the means by which to grow that spirit and potential. While I like someone like Mauricio Pochettino, Jorge Jesus would be a wise choice as well; his intellect could shine given outstanding resources, as he is widely understood to be a top mind in the world of football.
From there, bringing in players will be easier than many might believe. A great manager, incredible resources and the ability to go to a team that you can become a legend at should not be looked down upon with any snide notions; players will come to Newcastle United and they will show marked improvement from the recent past.
Will it be enough to break into the top six right off the bat? Quite possibly; don’t rule it out for a second. We’ve seen stranger things in football surely, just ask Leicester City; this would be just another innovation gripping the Premier League, and a healthy one quite likely.
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Greater competition in any league is desirable; elevated competition in the English Premier League will only increase admiration, viewership and revenue. From a footballing standpoint therefore, Newcastle United should be quite happy; their days of disappointment may be near an end.