Newcastle’s protracted takeover is off the cards and that means that the summer transfer window will look very different.
It remains to be seen how much Mike Ashley will free up to spend on incomings, so perhaps the best Steve Bruce can do is focus on keeping existing talent.
We’ve looked at three players the Magpies cannot afford to lose this summer…
Allan Saint-Maximin
Saint-Maximin was a summer gamble from Bruce last time around, but he is already a cult hero.
It’s a cliche but he gets fans on the edge of their seats – when they’re allowed in stadiums anyway – and adds unpredictability to Newcastle’s attack.
He could improve his end product but that’s a common problem for promising wingers, not to mention Premier League rookies. It should come.
Losing Saint-Maximin would deflate the mood among the fans ahead of the new season.
Matt Ritchie
Ritchie may not be the most glamorous player in the Newcastle ranks, but he is versatile, driven and offers a goal threat.
That makes him valuable to Bruce, who needs characters like that in the dressing room to try and keep standards high.
He’s one of the leaders of the group, vocal with it and losing Ritchie would remove one of the characters from the north east.
Martin Dubravka
Dubravka didn’t have a flawless season but he is established as Newcastle’s number one and is far superior to their current options.
A number of clubs, including Chelsea and Leeds, will be looking for new stoppers this summer.
Newcastle have one who has Premier League experience, generally offers calmness to his back four and is capable of outstanding displays.
Replacing someone like that is more difficult than it looks.
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