Newcastle United supporters have got used to seeing the word ‘project’ used in conjunction with the richest football club on planet earth.
It’s the word Sven Botman used when discussing a potential summer switch to St James’ Park recently.
It’s the word Bruno Guimaraes used, too, when asked by Sky Sports why he opted to become Newcastle’s marquee £33 million signing in the January transfer window, despite holding talks with a more historically successful top-flight side in Arsenal.
“I did speak to some other clubs,” Guimaraes explains when asked about Arsenal’s interest. “But I really wanted to come here (to Newcastle).
“I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League. And, on top of that, it was the start of a new sporting project for the club.”
Will Newcastle’s ‘project’ succeed?
If this is not the most exciting ‘project’ in European football right now, it’s certainly the most ambitious. Turning Newcastle United into a continental powerhouse will take not only millions of pounds of investment but also the kind of sensible, joined-up decision making that laid the foundations for the rapid rises of other nouveau-riche outfits like Manchester City and RB Leipzig.
An endless supply of cash helps, of course, but money can’t simply buy you success. The struggles of Hertha Berlin will tell you that.
According to reports, Newcastle are taking a leaf out of the playbook of Hertha’s Bundesliga rivals, RB Leipzig, with a long-term strategy revolving around signing talented, up-and-coming players with their best years ahead of them.
There’s a reason why Newcastle were looking at Ralf Rangnick – the brains behind Red Bull’s footballing operation – before settling on Eddie Howe.
Yes, January arrivals Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and Dan Burn don’t exactly fit that model. But, given that Newcastle’s immediate ambitions are to avoid relegation at all costs, the Magpies had little choice but to think short-term during their first transfer window of the post-Mike Ashley era.
The summer should provide a more accurate barometer of Newcastle’s plans. Targets such as Hugo Ekitike (19), Botman (22), and Nico Schlotterbeck (22) all fit into the long-term model. As does 20-year-old Croatian international Josko Gvardiol.
Another Bruno Guimaraes situation?
According to The Mail, Newcastle will step up their summer plans this week. Gvardiol is just one name on their hitlist.
The £50 million-rated defender, who turned down a move to Leeds United in 2020, also has admirers at Arsenal. And it’s tempting to wonder if history could be about to repeat itself, only a few month after Newcastle snatched Guimaraes from under Mikel Arteta’s nose.
In the modern era, it is becoming increasingly difficult for even clubs the size and stature of Arsenal to compete financially with top-flight rivals like Newcastle and Man City. Remember, Newcastle’s new owner – Mohamed Bin Salman – is no self-made businessman. He is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, a man with an estimated fortune of £500 billion.
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To him, spending £50 million on Gvardiol would be like you or I treating ourselves to a night out at the cinema. It would barely scratch the surface of his eye-watering fortune.
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