Newcastle’s protracted takeover is now off the table, but it did provoke plenty of transfer rumours while it was in the pipeline.
Even if the Magpies had been bought out, they likely wouldn’t have bought every name on this list – but it was fun to play fantasy football for a while.
We’ve picked out five crazy transfers which are now off the table…
Nathan Ake
Ake has just moved to Manchester City in a deal worth over £40 million, as per ESPN.
Before that, he was an ambitious defensive target for Newcastle, according to The Sunday Mirror (02/08, p66).
The Dutch international may be more of a rotation option behind fellow left-footer Aymeric Laporte at City, but it’s fair to assume he would have been a regular starter in the north east.
Newcastle will once again be lining up against him in the Premier League instead.
Edinson Cavani
Cavani is leaving Paris Saint-Germain when their Champions League campaign ends.
He actually represented a fairly attainable target for a nouveau-riche club looking to make a statement, given his lack of transfer fee and advancing years.
FC Inter News reported Newcastle’s interest in June, but now it remains to be seen where the Uruguayan will end up.
Philippe Coutinho
Coutinho’s big-money move to Barcelona has not worked out and he spent the season on loan at Bayern Munich.
France Football stated Newcastle’s interest in June, with the Brazilian looking for somewhere to reignite his career.
Perhaps he would have been better suited to being the main man at Newcastle than being one of a crowd of internationals elsewhere, given the creative freedom he demands.
He showed Newcastle how good he is up close in 2017, with an absolute stunner for Liverpool at St James’ Park.
Mauro Icardi
The aforementioned Mirror report (02/08, p66), also mentioned Mauro Icardi among a list of potential targets.
He spent last season on loan at PSG – which may have been a factor in Cavani’s exit – and has since made the move permanent.
Before that, he was apparently on Newcastle’s radar and would have been a huge improving on their current striking options in a side where Jonjo Shelvey was the club’s top scorer last term.
Antoine Griezmann
Italian outlet Sport Mediaset claimed Newcastle were interested in a stunning swoop for World Cup winner Griezmann back in April.
His protracted move to Barcelona has not been a huge success, as he netted just the nine La Liga goals (Transfermarkt) in his first campaign.
The Frenchman would have been a hugely exciting arrival, capable of playing up front, out wide or as a number ten.
Alas, like the rest of the names on this list, he won’t be coming to Newcastle this summer.
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