With the opening of the summer transfer window almost upon us, Newcastle United are expected to be active in the marketplace, and it appears that they’re ready to make their first purchase.
Eddie Howe will surely want to improve upon the squad that he already has, though it needs a studious approach to ensure that the Magpies continue to fly high.
The owners of the club, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), only need cast their eyes towards Stamford Bridge to see what a pig’s ear Todd Boehly has made of things at Chelsea.
The Blues way of doing business over the past year just goes to show that you can have an endless supply of money, but if it’s not spent wisely then you can end up going backwards.
Howe has at least shown to this point that he has a handle on exactly the type of play he desires, and the kind of characters that he doesn’t want at the club.
Much like Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, he’s building a squad full of young and hungry players that’s also supplemented by those players with decent Premier League experience.
With a Champions League campaign ahead as well, the importance of Howe’s purchases this summer can’t be understated.
To that end, The Telegraph (subscription required) report that German international midfielder, Felix Nmecha, who Newcastle have apparently been tracking for months, is likely to become the first player in through the door.
A box-to-box midfielder with boundless energy according to the outlet, Nmecha will cost in the region of £15m.