On Bruno, he is that echelon of player - very good, but not quite top class - who is unlikely to get a move to somewhere bigger than NUFC, and who will end up a club legend. (See, e.g. most of the Keegan and Robson teams).
He’s worth more to us than he would be to others, and wouldn’t fetch a fee that would be worth getting.
I’d sell Gordon if there is interest. And he’d probably fetch more than Bruno, too.
We are. And although I find his chest-pumping Steven Taylor tribute act annoying at times, I think he truly loves the club and it’s genuine, and for this legacy fan / old romantic, that counts for something. Good footballers who genuinely seem to love Newcastle / the North East, are precious. He’s one of them.
Superbly written and thought provoking. While hard to disagree with anything you say, I find myself drawn towards “keep Isak” for two reasons. Firstly, the lack of replaceability. You can sell a Coutinho (to take your example) and buy a couple of mini-Coutinhos. It’s not as obvious with Alex. Secondly, and again it’s something you allude to, the lack of transformative commercial deals. For me, the solution to that - if our owners are ambitious for this club - is to do the damn deals. I remain sceptical as to why they want to own us and what their objectives are. What would they do with the Isak money? In the absence of any comfort on that front, I prefer to enjoy Alex for as long as we can.
Thanks, Yousef. And, of course, you're right on both those points. The absence of commercial deals is baffling. But then so is the absence of a new CEO, training ground etc...
Agreed Gordon is the least disruptive or disappointing sale, Barnes output pretty similar, none of the others will go this window I hope, Isak irreplaceable but if Real Madrid came calling…Bruno is now somewhat under appreciated imho, but window for selling him has passed, Tonali still owes the club loyalty methinks
All fair points. Let’s try and hang onto Sandro and Isak for another season at least. I can take the pain of Bruno and Gordon leaving now, provided of course Eddie has a good plan!
Just as important as cashing in at the right time is where you allow them to go. Much safer to sell to the continent and avoid strengthening direct rivals at home.
Great article. I find it hard to read the criticisms of Bruno though, despite being able to acknowledge his patchy form. He’s been a colossus for us since he signed and helped drag us from near relegation hell into the Champions League. He’s allowed some iffy moments even if they’ve been more than few and far between this season.
Watching him on the balcony just before lifting the League Cup as he breathed two huge satisfied sighs in between hugs from Pope and Trippier showed me he bleeds black and white. I hope he stays for as long as possible.
Fair enough, Chris. It's a subjective thing but I just find it a bit much sometimes. But there's no doubting his commitment. I think he's found his good place and I think he'll stay
Great piece. I’ve been wondering to myself whether now is the right moment to sell Isak - will his value ever be higher? Replace him with Delap for £30M and Jonathan David on a free, Bakayoko on the right and we then have depth across the front line and funds for other positions available.
I think he's unsellable personally. He's became so integral to the team, and a poster boy for the success we have seen, and in many ways the identity of the team.
I think it all hangs on CL qualification. Get that and there is more money, less interest from the player or his agent to move and we need more players not less.
Loosing Tonali would be a big blow, like selling Cabaye all those years ago.
Isak is an interesting one. Get silly money and then buy two strikers for £50M each. Realistically we're unlikely to win either the EPL or the CL in the next few years when he's at his peak, but go to Liverpool or even Arsenal or any of the Euro heavyweights and he might. So I wouldn't be heartbroken so long as we get some good replacements (plural). But stay one more season and hope he isn't made of glass and scores goals to get us more wins and cups is the preferable option.
Gordon hasn't played well this season really and his value has probably dropped.
Bruno could go, but where? Who would pay >£50M?
As with all transfer news, those who really know, never tell, so we'll find out when it's happened and not before.
Cabaye was very good for us and it definitely hurt us when Ashley cashed him in but Tonali is levels above Yohan, definitely one of the best midfielders in the world and the best I’ve seen in supporting the black and whites for over 60 years
You've seen more players than me, Wallace, but yes, absolutely. The best I've seen in black and white. The reading of the game and the capacity to get around the pitch. Astonishing
Great article Matthew as per. The splinters up me back side indicate a firm no to any sale, as I’m still teary about the parade and don’t wanna lose any of the lads! It depends on the players’ individual intentions, but blimey what we’ve gone through together in the last few years must count double, it certainly does for me.
I see Chelsea and Villa drew four thousand apiece for their women’s games, at a higher echelon than the wee club, which drew 38,000 at the last time of asking and 30,000 regularly before the the cup. Obviousy I’m biased but who wouldn’t wanna play for Newcastle?
Quick nod to Big Willy Style who I really love. Instant Geordie’s gonna get ya!
Thanks, Neil! I suppose I'm naive but I really don't get why money is the be-all and end-all for so many players. Why not stay, become a legend, and be adored!
I think you're being overly harsh on Bruno to be honest, but he would be top of my list simply because we have depth in midfield, with Miley being an excellent prospect IMO. It won't be Isak. He would simply be too expensive for anyone to buy at the moment in the PSR climate. 120 to 150 million i would guess.
Thank you for setting out the issues that many of us contemplate, particularly during those periods when the team loses one or two games and slips out of the top four or five. Although the club could gain more than £100million by selling Isak, it's difficult to point to a replacement who would be anywhere near adequate. The team is well balanced and we are increasingly able to fill the bench with good quality substitutes. For this reason I feel that selling one of the 'crown jewels' would be the wrong thing to do. Like all players, Isak will have days when he isn't playing to full potential but that is outweighed when he is playing at his devastating best. Bruno is possibly the one we could sell without disturbing the balance of the side, but he wouldn't command a fee large enough to justify the sale. At Wembley the team showed how well they can play on big occasions: they just need to produce the same quality when facing lesser sides such as Bournemouth and Brentford.
Absolutely, Tony. I suppose that's my fear, that some players are not producing against those "lesser" teams and that's an indication that their priorities lie elsewhere. If that's the case (and it might not be!), then I would sell in an instant
Wow, excellent article Matthew. I would reluctantly sell Bruno, Gordon and Isak. In Isak's case not to a PL side though, that would come back to bite us you know where.
I'm sure Mitchell is aware of what's out there and what Eddie wants. As has already been said if Madrid or Barca want to pay us silly money and we can buy 2 good strikers, with Osula as back up still I'd go for that.
On Bruno, he is that echelon of player - very good, but not quite top class - who is unlikely to get a move to somewhere bigger than NUFC, and who will end up a club legend. (See, e.g. most of the Keegan and Robson teams).
He’s worth more to us than he would be to others, and wouldn’t fetch a fee that would be worth getting.
I’d sell Gordon if there is interest. And he’d probably fetch more than Bruno, too.
Perfectly sums up the Bruno situation. I think we're an ideal fit for one another.
We are. And although I find his chest-pumping Steven Taylor tribute act annoying at times, I think he truly loves the club and it’s genuine, and for this legacy fan / old romantic, that counts for something. Good footballers who genuinely seem to love Newcastle / the North East, are precious. He’s one of them.
Superbly written and thought provoking. While hard to disagree with anything you say, I find myself drawn towards “keep Isak” for two reasons. Firstly, the lack of replaceability. You can sell a Coutinho (to take your example) and buy a couple of mini-Coutinhos. It’s not as obvious with Alex. Secondly, and again it’s something you allude to, the lack of transformative commercial deals. For me, the solution to that - if our owners are ambitious for this club - is to do the damn deals. I remain sceptical as to why they want to own us and what their objectives are. What would they do with the Isak money? In the absence of any comfort on that front, I prefer to enjoy Alex for as long as we can.
Superb article.
Thanks, Yousef. And, of course, you're right on both those points. The absence of commercial deals is baffling. But then so is the absence of a new CEO, training ground etc...
Agreed Gordon is the least disruptive or disappointing sale, Barnes output pretty similar, none of the others will go this window I hope, Isak irreplaceable but if Real Madrid came calling…Bruno is now somewhat under appreciated imho, but window for selling him has passed, Tonali still owes the club loyalty methinks
Based on the modern way in football like you say the expertise is picking the “correct” moment to sell.
I’m sure Mitchell knows this and I get the feeling Eddie does too.
I trust the management at the club even though any sale would feel personal
All fair points. Let’s try and hang onto Sandro and Isak for another season at least. I can take the pain of Bruno and Gordon leaving now, provided of course Eddie has a good plan!
Just as important as cashing in at the right time is where you allow them to go. Much safer to sell to the continent and avoid strengthening direct rivals at home.
Great article. I find it hard to read the criticisms of Bruno though, despite being able to acknowledge his patchy form. He’s been a colossus for us since he signed and helped drag us from near relegation hell into the Champions League. He’s allowed some iffy moments even if they’ve been more than few and far between this season.
Watching him on the balcony just before lifting the League Cup as he breathed two huge satisfied sighs in between hugs from Pope and Trippier showed me he bleeds black and white. I hope he stays for as long as possible.
Fair enough, Chris. It's a subjective thing but I just find it a bit much sometimes. But there's no doubting his commitment. I think he's found his good place and I think he'll stay
Great piece. I’ve been wondering to myself whether now is the right moment to sell Isak - will his value ever be higher? Replace him with Delap for £30M and Jonathan David on a free, Bakayoko on the right and we then have depth across the front line and funds for other positions available.
That was kind of my thinking. Delap and another striker to give depth, competition, and insurance against injury. Easier said than done, though!
What I find strange is the transfer talk is always around Isak, Bruno, Tonali and Gordon but no one ever mentions Joelinton?
You have now mentioned him 4 times!
like Sandro, J7 owes Eddie his fame, and the fans LOVE Joelinton, and every other team we play hates him.
all signs of an amazing player, NUFC please don't sell Big Joe.
I think he's unsellable personally. He's became so integral to the team, and a poster boy for the success we have seen, and in many ways the identity of the team.
I think it all hangs on CL qualification. Get that and there is more money, less interest from the player or his agent to move and we need more players not less.
Loosing Tonali would be a big blow, like selling Cabaye all those years ago.
Isak is an interesting one. Get silly money and then buy two strikers for £50M each. Realistically we're unlikely to win either the EPL or the CL in the next few years when he's at his peak, but go to Liverpool or even Arsenal or any of the Euro heavyweights and he might. So I wouldn't be heartbroken so long as we get some good replacements (plural). But stay one more season and hope he isn't made of glass and scores goals to get us more wins and cups is the preferable option.
Gordon hasn't played well this season really and his value has probably dropped.
Bruno could go, but where? Who would pay >£50M?
As with all transfer news, those who really know, never tell, so we'll find out when it's happened and not before.
Cabaye was very good for us and it definitely hurt us when Ashley cashed him in but Tonali is levels above Yohan, definitely one of the best midfielders in the world and the best I’ve seen in supporting the black and whites for over 60 years
You've seen more players than me, Wallace, but yes, absolutely. The best I've seen in black and white. The reading of the game and the capacity to get around the pitch. Astonishing
Great article Matthew as per. The splinters up me back side indicate a firm no to any sale, as I’m still teary about the parade and don’t wanna lose any of the lads! It depends on the players’ individual intentions, but blimey what we’ve gone through together in the last few years must count double, it certainly does for me.
I see Chelsea and Villa drew four thousand apiece for their women’s games, at a higher echelon than the wee club, which drew 38,000 at the last time of asking and 30,000 regularly before the the cup. Obviousy I’m biased but who wouldn’t wanna play for Newcastle?
Quick nod to Big Willy Style who I really love. Instant Geordie’s gonna get ya!
Thanks, Neil! I suppose I'm naive but I really don't get why money is the be-all and end-all for so many players. Why not stay, become a legend, and be adored!
I think you're being overly harsh on Bruno to be honest, but he would be top of my list simply because we have depth in midfield, with Miley being an excellent prospect IMO. It won't be Isak. He would simply be too expensive for anyone to buy at the moment in the PSR climate. 120 to 150 million i would guess.
Thank you for setting out the issues that many of us contemplate, particularly during those periods when the team loses one or two games and slips out of the top four or five. Although the club could gain more than £100million by selling Isak, it's difficult to point to a replacement who would be anywhere near adequate. The team is well balanced and we are increasingly able to fill the bench with good quality substitutes. For this reason I feel that selling one of the 'crown jewels' would be the wrong thing to do. Like all players, Isak will have days when he isn't playing to full potential but that is outweighed when he is playing at his devastating best. Bruno is possibly the one we could sell without disturbing the balance of the side, but he wouldn't command a fee large enough to justify the sale. At Wembley the team showed how well they can play on big occasions: they just need to produce the same quality when facing lesser sides such as Bournemouth and Brentford.
Absolutely, Tony. I suppose that's my fear, that some players are not producing against those "lesser" teams and that's an indication that their priorities lie elsewhere. If that's the case (and it might not be!), then I would sell in an instant
Wow, excellent article Matthew. I would reluctantly sell Bruno, Gordon and Isak. In Isak's case not to a PL side though, that would come back to bite us you know where.
I'm sure Mitchell is aware of what's out there and what Eddie wants. As has already been said if Madrid or Barca want to pay us silly money and we can buy 2 good strikers, with Osula as back up still I'd go for that.
No one is irreplaceable.
Exactly.