Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

we haven't had one of these for a while

Chelsea and Man C splurge early with the club world finance cup in mind

Delap to Chelsea for 30m looks like great business, for both them and him. At Chelsea he probably won't be behind a cast iron, nailed on, week in week out striker

Man Utd are so desperate for signings that they'll allow themselves to get fleeced blind by any good footballer who fancies quadrupling his weekly wage

Newcastle said they were going to do all their business early, but all their primary targets are busy going elsewhere and a month into the window have only signed a youngster who will go straight out on loan.... nothing wrong with that approach, btw, but it doesn't strengthen the side ahead of a CL campaign

Liverpool are doing business

van Nistelroy leaves Leicester

ex Luton manager Rob Edwards to manage Middlesbrough

Newcastle's latest target Pedro of Brighton looks to be heading off to Chelsea

Calvert Lewin is now a free agent, but nobody was knocking the door down to sign him when he would have cost something

Thomas Partey is now a free agent

Newcastle's best hope of actually signing a player that they've spent weeks and months pursuing appears to be James Trafford, but Newcastle already have 5 goalkeepers on their books, so they'll have to get rid of a few. They extended Dubravka's contract recently when Pope was out injured, were forced to buy the Greek keeper from Forest as part of the deal to sell Anderson in order to avoid PSR sanctions, and there are two others, Ruddy and Gillespie, who are there as much for their coaching roles as playing roles. If Trafford comes in then almost certainly Pope would have to go out or there'd be no point in signing Trafford

Given that most positions in the Newcastle side are nailed on, only wages would attract high quality signings and we can't offer 200k a week, because of the financial restrictions. We might for Isak, but not for anyone else.

Best bet seems to be to bring in potential from abroad and turning them into players that everyone else wished they had

Arsenal have signed Kepa for £5m....will they ever sign a striker

maybe he's going to play as a striker

meanwhile at St James Park...........

Pedro Brighton to Chelsea 60m

Quansah Liverpool to Leverkusen 35m

Diarra Strasbourg to Sunderland 30m

not forgetting Bellingham Jnr from Sunderland to Dortmund in time for the PSR world cup, of course..... time enough to score a goal and get himself banned for picking up two yellows

Newcastle?

Sunderland apparently signed Noah Sadiki from Union.....

Heartbroken, but happy for him for a shot at the PL. Do us proud Noah

Confirmed now for Sadiki

Walker Man C to Burnley for 5m. Good deal for Burnley, I think

Newcastle………

Chelsea sign Gittins from dortmund
Forest sign Jesus from Botafogo
Arsenal sign Zubimendi from Real Sociedad

Newcastle……….

Callum Wilson to leave Newcastle after talks over a new contract failed. He goes with my blessing. At his age he needs to be playing football while he still can. Newcastle did manage to agree a new deal to keep John Ruddy, one of their 5 goalkeepers, as they continue to pursue signing a 6th.

incomings?

dare I hope?

Rumours are linked Dominic Calvert Lewin with a free transfer. Not sure why you'd release wilson for a poorer version of him

I wouldn't want DCL, but I always believed that we'd go for him. Might have to be one of those Eddie working his magic things if he does come

Elanga having a medical today, I think. Trafford is thought to be signing sometime this week

Wilson's departure is completely understandable despite Howe wanting to keep him, but he wants to be playing football while he still can and not be an Isak understudy. It's the reason why I always thought DCL would end up here. Newcastle would represent a new start and a fresh chance for him, but no other good strikers would want to sign up for that role. They might for 300k a week at Madrid, but not for a 100k here

Newcastle signed Will Osula last year and it was described as a 'project' signing. Howe thinks he can make something of him, but needed a couple of years to do it. There is something about the lad. Seems to have talent, a bit of an edge at times, winds up other players, but liked by the squad and liked by the fans, so we'll see. Obviously Livramento and Hall were signed with a similar path in mind and became regulars in their second season. Perhaps Osula will get more chances to break into the side this year. It was meant to be Minteh who took over from Wilson but PSR scuppered that..... and also why we have so many bloody keepers

Done deal, Elanga. Good player, but fee a little higher than I'd want to pay