Newcastle United's summer transfer window, initially hailed as a success, is now under scrutiny as the club's £155m investment in young players has yet to deliver under new head coach Matthias Jaissle.
After a difficult summer that saw the exit of skipper Bruno Guimaraes, along with Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, the club finished strongly by adding Nico Gonzalez and Matias Fernandez-Pardo for a combined cost of more than £100m. A new transfer policy focused on exciting young talent was seen as a brave step forward.
Early optimism fades
Fine performances against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, plus early cup progression, initially kept the mood upbeat. Sporting director Ross Wilson and CEO David Hopkinson met with journalists to express their satisfaction with how the summer had panned out, continuing a theme of transparency from the club's hierarchy.
However, two months on, questions are being asked about the quality of that window. Jaissle was chosen to replace Eddie Howe largely for his ability to work with young players, especially after the club recruited eight players all under the age of 24.
Young signings left on the bench
Despite having one of the youngest squads in the Premier League, the majority of high-profile signings – Sean Steur, Aladji Bamba, Bazoumana Toure and Matias Fernandez-Pardo – have been left out of the starting line-up. Jaissle has instead leaned on the likes of Yoane Wissa, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock.
This has raised questions about how ready these players are and whether Jaissle has been left with an ill-prepared squad for his first crack at the Premier League. Bamba is raw with only a dozen starts in France under his belt; the £34m invested in him was a gamble on potential. Steur is a real find but only 18 years old, while Toure needs coaching both offensively and defensively.
Manager's input questioned
What is clear is that Jaissle does not yet trust these players to cope with the demands of English football week in, week out. A high-ranking source at St James' Park insisted the manager must have input in signings: "There's no point in us signing a player the manager doesn't want and is going to leave on the bench, as it will affect his value."
It is too early to judge whether Bamba, Toure, Ewen Jaouen and Fernandez-Pardo were money well spent, but the £155m spent on the quartet has yet to deliver value. Young players' sell-on worth increases only if they play and perform, and as things stand, that money might have been better invested in ready-made players.
Gaps remain in the squad
There are still glaring gaps. Three transfer windows have passed without a proven goalscorer to replace Alexander Isak, Lewis Hall is being overplayed at left-back due to a lack of a decent understudy, and the lack of pace and class at centre-back remains a worry.
Wilson insisted in September: "We've built a squad for the season. That doesn't mean we might not make further alterations to it in January." As it stands, that winter window may be needed more than initially thought.
