Following their bumper takeover last month, Newcastle United, who are now considered to be the wealthiest club in world football, will be looking to the January transfer market in an attempt to bolster their squad.
The Magpies, now majority-owned by cash-rich Saudi Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, currently sit rock bottom of the Premier League table.
Desperate to stay in England’s top-flight it is now expected that the Geordies will use the winter market as a way to add some much-needed quality to their faltering squad.
One name linked with making a sensational switch to St James’ Park is Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele.
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However, according to a recent report from Sport, despite struggling to renew his contract with Barcelona and being offered £12.7m-per-year by Newcastle, the French attacker has no desire to move to the North of England.
It’s been claimed that Dembele is uninspired by the project on offer at Newcastle and therefore, no amount of money could tempt him to pull on a black and white shirt.
CaughtOffside’s Verdict
Although many fans will be hoping their club’s new hierarchy can make some blockbuster signings, it is perhaps unrealistic to expect high-profile players to be eager to join a side that faces the prospect of spending next season in the Championship.
There is no denying the Magpies’ financial power but when it comes to performances on the pitch, their struggles are laid bare for all to see.
Having failed to win a single game so far this season, the possibility of the world’s richest club plying their trade in England’s second tier is quickly becoming a reality, and while that may attract players keen on the payday, that seldom bodes well when it comes to the desire required to get a side out of a dog fight.
In the meanwhile, although it looks like Dembele will reject the chance to join, Newcastle’s focus must remain on bringing in some fresh faces capable of giving their all until the end of the season.