‘I know ins and outs at Newcastle – here’s real reason they can’t attract stars’

Newcastle United have been the subject of much scrutiny this summer due to their quiet transfer window, with several top targets moving elsewhere instead of committing to St James’ Park

Nicky Butt believes PSR and a lack of city appeal are the two reasons Newcastle United have fallen short with transfers this summer. The Magpies have endured a chaotic summer while attempting to strengthen their squad for a fresh Premier League campaign.

Top targets like Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, Liam Delap, James Trafford and Benjamin Sesko all chose different destinations despite a wealth of interest. While Newcastle have managed to land the likes of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest in a £55million deal and Malick Thiaw from AC Milan for £34.5m, plenty of supporters will feel let down by missed opportunities.

This is particularly galling given that Newcastle will come up against several of their would-be signings this season when they meet the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.

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While Eddie Howe has moaned that rigid PSR restrictions are “controlling” his team’s capacity to compete in the current window, Butt claims that there’s an additional element at work which might not go down well with the passionate Toon Army.

Speaking to Chronicle Live via BetMGM, the midfielder, who turned out at St James’ Park between 2004 and 2010, said: “I think PSR will definitely come into play, and I think Eddie’s such an experienced man, experienced manager and coach, he wouldn’t put things out there that he’s going to get thrown back in his face as lies.

“That’ll be definitely a big part of it, but I think the thing with Newcastle is, until you’re in the club, and unless you know about it… so I knew about it playing against them in the good old days, I knew what a big club it was, and how passionate the supporters were, and when I was going there I knew all about the football club.

“But some of the players don’t know. They don’t know how big a football club it is, don’t know it’s a one-club city, they don’t really understand the dynamics of the demographic up there, and obviously it’s not London. It’s not one of the so-called shining light cities.

“Even though it’s a city, it’s not in that kind of elk. It’s tough to get. Manchester had a bit for a long time to try to get players from London to Manchester United, it was tough because it wasn’t the glamorous city that it probably is now.

“I think Newcastle are finding that and it’s sad. You have to throw something at these players to make it more attractive, which is, you know, more money for some of the players, they get turned on by that. Obviously they’re in Europe, in the Champions League and stuff now, so that helps.”

Butt also believes that Newcastle will be able to lure players who aren’t simply chasing a hefty wage packet, and that the club will be capable of landing stars who genuinely fancy playing for Newcastle out of pure passion for the game. He added: “But yeah, you have to try and get the right ones that want to be there, and I think the ones you lose anyway, in the long run you’re better off losing them.

“Yes, I understand there’s finances being involved, because no one’s going to go to work at the building site down there for five hundred quid when they can and go and build this out there for five grand. You’ve got a family to look after, and you’ve got the rest of your life, so I get finances coming into play, but you’ve really got to want to play for a football club.”

It comes as the Magpies found themselves short of firepower when the fresh Premier League campaign kicked off on Saturday. Anthony Gordon was pressed into service as a makeshift No. 9 against Aston Villa due to Alexander Isak’s continuing transfer uncertainty.

While numerous supporters will be content with a point secured following a scoreless stalemate at Villa Park, others will be hoping to see Howe and the club’s hierarchy move swiftly regarding bringing in a replacement for the restless Swede, particularly considering Gordon’s minimal influence.

Newcastle have reportedly set their sights on Brentford’s star striker Yoane Wissa, who has hinted at his willingness to make the move up north. However, insiders at the Bees have made it clear that they won’t let him go without securing a fitting replacement.

The Magpies have also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain ace, Goncalo Ramos. However, the forward has pledged his loyalty to the Parc des Princes for the foreseeable future, leaving Newcastle to explore other options.

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