EXPLORING NEWCASTLE SELLING ISSUES (PAID)

QUIET MARKET FOR BIG PLAYERS AND WHAT IT MEANS

Currently witnessing a MASTERCLASS from Granit Xhaka against a very lackluster Italian side. Who would have thought that giving the Swiss captain all the time in the world to dictate a game might be a bad idea in 2024? He is an exceptional player. I’m so happy with how the backend of his career has turned out.

The Premier League PSR watch has been very interesting.

The League has leaked that it intends to go after teams for fair value. If deals smell like the rotting corpse of a slain dragon (guess what I’ve been watching), they will investigate and correct the wrongs.

I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but it is kind of grim that such a small group of regional businesses can behave so poorly within a rules framework they all agreed to. Following the spirit of the rules has been a bedrock across many societies and cultures - but it’s all gone out the window of late. It increasingly feels like the only clubs that have been playing it by the book are the Red Cartel members (AFC, LFC, MUFC). It’s also worth pointing out that the Red Cartel members don’t have the biggest trophy hauls over the past 10 years. Call us the Red Rule Sticklers, because there’s nothing cartel-like in the way we behave.

Back to PSR deadlines. We’ve watched Everton, Chelsea, Villa, and Newcastle all try mad things to get compliant… but the club we’re all really paying attention to is Newcastle. A side I’d say has been very by the book considering the resources they have behind them. The story from the club since the start of the year is they’ll need to shift a big name to get compliant. Well, it’s June 29th and no big dog has left the building.

Nothing materialized for Bruno G - who has a release clause.

The strongest link we’ve seen for Alex Isak is a terribly unrealistic Chelsea link by their in-house PR guy Fabrizio Romano.

Antony Gordon’s strongest link out of the club was me on a podcast before I was shouted down.

What does this say about the market? Perhaps there’s not a lot of money about in any of the leagues. One wonders if the optics of City splashing £120m this summer on one player might be quite negative - you also have to wonder if they might be reluctant to put a relegation release clause in a deal for a player of that value (because there is no way agents aren’t asking for that given the context).

What surprises me is the lack of concrete moves for Alex Isak - perhaps Newcastle doesn’t want to sell. But you’d imagine the player would be up for an exit, so it shocks me that no one at least had a crack at him. He has no Champions League next season and he’s coached by Eddie Howe - I’m sure he’d be game for a move.

But then you think about it - who has £100m spare?