Mazzy

So let's say this does happen? That means all the moneys gone right? 😂 I'm joking but surely it makes convincing Scalvini/Guehi/Gallagher to come here just that bit easier. You'd like to think so anyway. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm still not trusting this one until we've put a bid in.

I'd genuinely be disappointed to see us sign Ekitike only to then play 3/5 at the back. In the big games away from home, I'd get that, but I'd really like to see us stick with the back four predominantly. 442 or 4222 or maybe even 4312.

There's also one where it's still ASM - Wilson - Almiron

Very little belief this is actually true until I see us make a bid. Otherwise it's just rumours, similar to the Scalvini and Gallagher stuff.

I think saying he needs to prove himself is a bit harsh. He's got 32 G/A in under 70 Premier League apparences in the last two seasons. He has proven it already.

Possibly. If Gordon goes we would surely need another LW though? Can't trust Barnes on his own to do a whole season and having to use Elanga to cover for both sides seems like it would come with it's own problems.

Isak Ekitike Gordon Elanga Barnes Murphy That's a front three with two players of almost (Isak is way ahead of Ekitike) equal quality/output in every position. But also allows for tactical changes in game and from game to game as well. You add Gallagher into the midfield six and take Longstaff out and similar can be said for the midfield. The defence is a little different as we ideally need a CB and a maybe a LB/RB to really be in the high quality first team and bench position.

That's what he is worth, considering his age and his output when you look at players selling currently like Elanga and Madueke. BUT he is worth double that to Brentford, because they cannot replace him and Mbeumo in the same window and everything they brought to the team without a pretty big outlay on someone else or a few players.

If the choice is between Ekitike at £75/80M or Isak for £140/150M, surely you go for Ekitike right? . That would be the "smart" deal for Liverpool to do in the long term.

A truly incredible list, but equally incredibly impossible to get them all you'd think. A real possibility we only end up with Trafford out of that lot.

Would be a hell of a bidding war next year though. It pretty much opens the door for him. Which isn't a problem, he's going to go sooner or later, we just have to hope he has another 25+ goal season for us before he goes.

I'd imagine this is more likely. If Isak is going this summer we'd need more than just Ekitike. We'd need him plus another VERY good ST and we would probably not be haggling over an extra £2M for Trafford right now.

That's what you have a squad for. Every player doesn't play every game and the kind of game I'm talking about is the really top level away games against City and Liverpool and probably someone like Madrid/Barca/Bayern in the UCL.

Ekitike ever actually played out wide? Or we just assuming this because he's similar to Isak? Not sure I've seen much suggesting that he has or even actually playing as a false 9 or behind the striker, not seen anything to say that's happened at all in his career so far.

The alternative is he's obviously a rotation for Isak but then in certain games where we've struggled historically (Man City away/Liverpool Away). We'd go with this. Maybe with Scalvini instead of Schar.

You can see in that video that he clearly does alot of the pressing into midfield for Atalanta. So he'll fit right into that as Burn and Schar both do it well when needed. I'd be shocked if we get for him as little as £43M though.

Saw alot of Huijsen last season and he looks very similar. Not surprising we went after him first and now onto Scalvini.

Not a bad deal if you're a member but £30 for those games if pretty steep. But then again, people who want it will pay it so no issue I guess.

Pretty much exactly how I saw it. I always feel like he tries extra hard to be objective when it's a Newcastle player so he often emphasises the negatives more than he usually does. But my take away from the video was exactly as you said, he's got the tools and the club know that, he now just needs to learn to use them in the right way.

Depends if Longstaff leaves. If he does, then we absolutely need to replace him so I'd have to say DCL & Gallagher, but if Longstaff stays then I'm happy with that midfield six for now and Ekitike raises our attacking levels a fair bit.

If that was the only option I would accept it over not getting another ST in at all. I still don't know if Howe is trusting Osula in many games so Isak would get overused all season. DCL would atleast give him some respite as I could absolutely see him being ahead of Osula immediately (for obvious reasons).

Schar and Burn played more than they should have last season because Lascelles and Botman were out. We should be going into this season with four top quality CBs capable of playing in any game of the season, and then a bonus Lascelles for use in early round cup games.

Even if we sign a keeper/CB/CM before the start of the season. The thought of going through this season with just Isak and Osula as recognised ST is horrible.

I think we've all missed what could potentially be a great name for the new Spurs stadium. "Newcastle United FC presents Tottenham Hotspur FC Stadium"

You can laugh at others falling down the waterfall even if you know you're probably heading that way as well. I'm not happy it's happened to the club but I'm happy it's happened to some of their knobhead fans and that knobhead Parish.