In the past week, Newcastle United has been linked with Chris Samba, Douglas and Jan Vertonghen.
Newcastle is blatantly in need of a center back after Steven Taylor's season-ending Achilles tendon injury (and could have used one even before Taylor limped off against Chelsea). And Samba, Douglas and Vertonghen would all be quality additions (who we've added to our transfer guide). But are they realistic ones?
All three have price tags of around £10 million. Newcastle has only paid out that sort of figure once since Mike Ashley arrived in 2007 - for Fabricio Coloccini in Aug. 2008. That, of course, was before relegation and the subsequent belt tightening.
Then there's United's insistence on buying players who can be sold for a profit. Samba will turn 28 in March, so it's hard to envision Newcastle turning a profit on him. Douglas (24 in January) and Vertonghen (25 in April) are both significantly younger, but would have to play quite well to guarantee a higher resale value.
Maybe Ashley will surprise us. Based on past experience, though, a less flashy defensive addition - someone like James Tomkins - seems more likely.
All players have to play well to guarantee a higher resale value!?
Posted by: Dirk Gentley | 12/24/2011 at 05:34 PM
The point is if you pay £10 million for a player, he would have to play very well to allow NUFC to sell him for a profit. The higher the fee, the bigger the gamble in that regard.
Posted by: Tom | 12/25/2011 at 09:16 AM
If a player is worth 10m now then surely he would only have to play slightly better than he already is to commando a higher value?
Posted by: Dirk Gentley | 12/25/2011 at 07:42 PM
Well, the player would have to play well in a much tougher league. Again, it's a gamble when you pay a high fee. NUFC wouldn't have been able to sell Colo for a profit after his first year at the club, even if it hadn't gotten relegated.
Posted by: Tom | 12/27/2011 at 07:14 PM