With Newcastle’s new ownership still in its infancy, there’s plenty of time for the new directors to take stock of the situation on the playing side and decide which areas are a priority to be strengthened.
Becoming the richest club in the world overnight according to MARCA, will afford the club certain advantages in the transfer window, but is likely to also leave them open to the overtures of agents of certain players looking for a big pay day.
Manchester United’s Paul Pogba is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal which The Sun detailed back in June would be worth £400,000 per week, thereby making him the best paid player in the Premier League.
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Former Newcastle star, Chris Waddle, believes that the Magpies should be making the French World Cup winner their first signing of the new era, per The Sun.
“Paul Pogba’s out of contract isn’t he? Now people might say about Newcastle — but money talks,” he said.
“If they sell the dream about what we’re going to win and achieve, it might.”
Waddle is entitled to his opinion of course, but he’s completely wide of the mark on this occasion.
He will know more than most what the locals expect of their players, and hard work, desire and being a real team player are pre-requisites.
Pogba only shows his quality now and again, and that simply isn’t good enough for any club, let alone one that is effectively building from the ground up again and needs players to lead by example.
If he’s in the mood the midfielder is a joy to watch, but even with money to burn, the new owners are surely not going to accept having to pay nigh on half a million pounds a week if a player isn’t ‘at it’ consistently.
Paul Pogba is not a kid to leave Manchester United for Newcastle United. And SBM’s sovereign fund is not going to throw money for the sake of it. They are currently building up their hierarchy and will only make wise purchases, despite their purported ability to buy any player they can.