The Newcastle United fans here in the Transfer Tavern are fuming about the state of their January window thus far. Amid suggestions Rafa Benitez still doesn’t know his transfer budget, our punters clad in black and white really are nervous.
Many of them believe the signing of January reinforcements is crucial to the Magpies’ survival chances, though can’t get too excited about the notion of some major additions while under the ownership of Mike Ashley. Indeed, their decade under the Sports Direct mogul has largely been that bad.
With that in mind, a statistic has emerged online showing just how frugal Ashley has been at St. James’ Park. Sourcing his information from Transfermarkt, Twitter user Joe Donohue has put the Newcastle owner’s refusal to spend money into some bleak figures.
Newcastle's expenditure on strikers 2007-2017 — £67.78m
Newcastle's expenditure on strikers 1997-2007 — £96.98m
Ambition? Not in Ashley's vocabulary.
Sobering when you consider how much money has been bankrolling the Premier League for the last 10 years.
[via Transfermarkt]
— Joe Donnohue (@JoeDonnohue) January 8, 2018
Between 1996-2017, the Magpies spent almost £100m on strikers. While Premier League sides have never been short on money, this was a time before the massive TV deals changed the financial state of play in European football, meaning the relatively paltry £67.78m spent on forwards in the decade since look ridiculous.
Desperate for a striker in the New Year sales, our resident Geordies aren’t too confident.
Thoughts?
