Steve McClaren spent big after his arrival at Newcastle United last season and the club have spent the whole summer trying to recoup the costs.
Newcastle United continue to wash away any lingering trace of Steve McClaren’s tainted ‘legacy’, with midfielder Henri Saivet joining Saint Etienne on a season-long loan.
The 25-year-old signed in January for £5 million from Bordeaux, arriving at St James’ Park with a reputation as one of the most impressive deep-lying playmakers in French football.
However, after just two starts in seven months for the Magpies, Saivet has returned to Ligue 1 with St Etienne, making him the sixth of McClaren’s signings to depart either on loan or on a permanent basis this summer.
Georginio Wijnaldum and Andros Townsend stayed in the top flight with Liverpool and Crystal Palace respectively after impressing in patches in the North East but highly-rated winger Florian Thauvin (below), who cost Newcastle around £15 million this time last summer, has been shipped out to Marseille on loan.
Furthermore, Seydou Doumbia, who shone repeatedly in the Champions League for CSKA Moscow, managed just 29 minutes of action in a Newcastle shirt after arriving on loan from Roma in January.
The Ivory Coast international (below, right) made just two substitute appearences after Rafa Benitez’s arrival in March amid reports that the club would be forced to sign him permanently for £17.5 million pounds if he featured in 10 or more games, according to the Newcastle Chronicle.
Young striker Ivan Toney also joined Shrewsbury Town on loan, leaving Chancel M’Bemba, Alexander Mitrovic, who only recently returned from suspension, and Jonjo Shelvey, starting two out of four Championship games, as the only remnants of the McClaren regime with Benitez aiming to construct a side capable of mounting a promotion push back to the Premier League.
According to the Telegraph, the Spaniard (below) agreed to stay on this summer after being given full control over player recruitment, the first manager to enjoy such freedom since Mike Ashley’s 2007 takeover.
Newcastle fans will be hoping the flawed regime, which reached its nadir under McClaren, is gone for good.
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