The alarming issue facing NUFC as 2021 crisis awaits - 10 months left to save £50m?
Newcastle United are arguably on the verge of crisis as THIRTEEN first team player’s contracts expire in the summer of 2021.
The players whose contract expire are:
- Fabian Schar
- Dwight Gayle
- DeAndre Yedlin
- Jacob Murphy
- Federico Fernandez (option for a further year)
- Rolando Aarons
- Henri Saivet
- Karl Darlow
- Isaac Hayden
- Dan Barlaser
- Andy Carroll
- Christian Atsu
- Ciaran Clark
Based on Transermarkt.co.uk's valuations, that's over £50m of talent that we could lose for free
First of all, I think it’s important to mention that it’s somewhat a positive thing that some of these players will eventually leave the club and free up some space on the wage bill.
For example, Lazaar, Saivet, Aarons, Darlow and Yedlin are drifting further away from a place in the starting eleven and remaining at Newcastle will only hurt their careers in the long run.
However, Isaac Hayden and (despite a disappointing season) Fabian Schar must be handed new deals, with Federico Fernandez also worthy of an extension.
Hayden’s value seems to only increase and there has been talk of an England call-up the defensive midfielder. Allowing him to leave on a free would be criminal.
As for Schar, he may be inconsistent - but he was one of our best players in the 18/19 season and still has a lot to give. The club should do all they can to keep the Switzerland International, or at least protect his value if we decide to cash in.
Ciaran Clark is a solid squad player who adds depth and often makes a positive impact when called upon, therefore deserving a new deal, but Christian Atsu isn't really up to it and should be cashed in on while we have a chance.
That said, we lack depth in wide areas and I'm not convinced we'd replace him if he was solid this summer.
In my opinion, the jury is still out on Murphy, Barlaser, Carroll and Gayle.
If Barlaser doesn’t get the chance to establish himself in the first team this year, we’d have to expect that the midfielder would be allowed to leave on a free next summer, with him no longer a youngster and approaching his 24th birthday.
Murphy, Carroll and Gayle will have to fight for their places next season and prove that they are deserving of playing Premier League football going forward. Not to mention the fact that, at times, Carroll and Gayle can be liabilities injury-wise.
Let’s hope these players can have their futures sorted out and we don’t have thirteen Matty Longstaff situations on our hands next summer!
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