Inside Newcastle’s four-transfer battleplan after Johan Manzambi snub ...Middle East

Newcastle United are aiming to sign at least four more first-team players in the summer transfer window, with insiders admitting that the club are facing “headwinds” in a close season of transition.

The i Paper understands that Newcastle see the three players they have added as roughly “par” for where they expected to be at this point.

But there is an acceptance that the narrative surrounding the Magpies is difficult after they apparently missed out on another top target in Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi.

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In an illustration of how complex the transfer window can be, Manzambi’s representatives were still insisting to senior club figures late on Monday morning that they had not made a decision on his future.

However it is widely anticipated that the Switzerland international, one of the breakout stars of the World Cup, will now join Aston Villa for £49m – something Newcastle began to fear might be the case before the weekend.

Newcastle had made a serious pitch to Manzambi but club sources suggest it was never viewed internally as a “done deal” – unlike winger Victor Munoz, who they believe they had persuaded to come to St James’ Park before Liverpool hijacked the move.

While it might feel like a case of deja vu after being turned down by a slew of top targets last summer, the difference this year is they are working on “multiple, concurrent deals” and a much larger pool of potential targets that has been sourced since January.

They are in advanced talks with targets of similar profile and potential – who are also capable of exciting supporters – and anticipate having “three or four” more new signings on board before the season starts.

“We knew there would be points this summer where it would be frustrating, where things might feel difficult,” one senior source said. “But there’s a bigger plan we are working to – and have to work to.”

Two stumbling blocks

Having sold Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali already this summer, the mood around the club feels pretty desperate.

But progress on one of their big ticket items – infrastructure projects which majority owners Saudi Arabi’s Public Investment Fund have been criticised for not moving faster on – is understood to be close.

Those in charge point out that they have little option but to recalibrate recruitment, contemplate sales and absorb some blows given the hand they have been dealt this summer.

Clearly two things are harming their efforts.

The first is their ongoing battle with financial rules, which saw chief executive David Hopkinson summoned to Nyon for a Uefa tribunal earlier this summer and which means they must be disciplined in the transfer market in terms of fees and wages.

The second – and this has been critical in missing out on Munoz and Manzambi – is their lack of European football.

Finishing 12th last season has robbed them of that selling point and also impacted revenues, a sizeable blow given that clubs Newcastle are competing with can offer both.

So while the club are continuing to look at ambitious targets, there are no guarantees they will be able to get every deal they want over the line.

They have managed to fend off competition to sign midfielder Sean Steur, winger Bazoumana Toure and goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen.

A new blueprint

But first-team additions are being worked on, with a midfielder capable of progressing the ball quickly now a priority.

Newcastle are understood to be big fans of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes and Brazil international Danilo, who plays for Botafogo, is well-known to sporting director Ross Wilson after his stint at Nottingham Forest.

There are also targets based in Germany and Italy who they, understandably, are desperate to keep under wraps.

The club are aware of the perception of their summer efforts but it is emphasised that this is a transition period as they have to move away from the position they were in post-takeover of acquiring top internationals on big fees.

The new blueprint is a “multi-year, sustainable” plan that Newcastle believe will leave them in a far greater position by the start of the summer.

“Judge us at close of play on 1 September” is the message of those attempting to construct Newcastle version 2.0.

And it is probably wise counsel, however uncomfortable it might feel in mid-July.

The elephant in the room

If Newcastle broker a few more of the deals they are working on fans might buy that, but Bruno Guimaraes remains the elephant in the room.

If he becomes the third big name to leave in one summer it will be a very difficult sell, and there are few guarantees on his future as it stands.

As yet Newcastle have not had any contact at all from Arsenal and insiders have dismissed much of the speculation as noise driven by his representatives.

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But if Arsenal do get close to their valuation of nearly £100m there is a decision to make – and massive repercussions to manage.

In an ideal world he would stay another year and Steur, viewed as potentially the player to pick up his mantle in the medium to long-term, would become his successor.

As Newcastle have already discovered in this close season, things are never that simple.

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