Joe Buck brings you the latest transfer news surrounding Newcastle United as they weigh up bids for James Trafford and Anthony Elanga. Eddie Howe's squad return to pre-season training next week.
00:00So, as I stand here on Wednesday, 2nd of July, you guys tonight are still yet to confirm a senior signing so far this summer.
00:08Of course, they signed Antonio Cordero from Malaga and a couple of other younger players to strengthen their academy ranks.
00:14But right now, no senior player has joined Eddie Howe's squad.
00:18I think for many fans, there's frustration that it's got to July without any new signings,
00:23especially when you say they like Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, all strengthening their squads.
00:28Of course, the latter two had the Club World Cup to play in.
00:31But, yeah, it's frustration's grown, I think, that it has a lack of signings.
00:34But you've got to remember that the team aren't back for pre-season training yet.
00:38They're due back next week, or the vast majority are, because some of the international players might be a little bit later.
00:43And, of course, there's 17 days till their first game, which comes against Celtic, on the 19th of July.
00:49So, still plenty of time for the club to make signings before any ball is kicked, before pre-season training even begins.
00:55But, obviously, Eddie Howe and fans want them players in, just so they can have these players in and have something to cling on to for the start of the new season.
01:04It's been a long time since the Gasol have signed a senior player, and certainly a senior player that fans get excited about, or really excited about.
01:11Hopefully, that will come before the end of summer.
01:12I'm sure it will.
01:15I'm sure that by the time they travel to Villa Park in August, they'll have a couple of new faces in their squad.
01:21Who there will be?
01:22Not too sure.
01:23Obviously, you've got James Trafford.
01:25He looks like eventually joining.
01:27Of course, big interest in him last summer.
01:29They pulled a deal at the 11th hour because of financial reasons.
01:32That deal looks like it's going to progress this summer, and I would be surprised if it doesn't.
01:38Resulting Trafford being a new Gasol player, I think that, of course, they remain apart from Burnley in the valuations.
01:43I think you're going to hear me say that a lot over the course of this video in the summer, that they're a part of valuations of the player.
01:48But I think Newcastle and Burnley will come to some sort of compromise, and I think that that will end up with Trafford being a Newcastle United player before the Premier League season gets underway.
01:57Maybe even before the players return to pre-season training.
02:01So, that's certainly one to watch.
02:02Another one, of course, is Anthony Ilanga.
02:04Now, they missed out on Jao Pedro to Chelsea.
02:06Not really surprised when Chelsea come in for a player like Jao Pedro that he'd prefer to go there.
02:11I think it's, from a player's point of view, it's a prospect living in London, probably bigger wages.
02:18You know, you can see why he's attracted to that.
02:20From a professional football and career point of view, he's going to be competing with a lot of players.
02:23So, whether that was the best move rather than Newcastle, you know, only time will tell.
02:27Back on Ilanga.
02:28I think Ilanga is someone that, again, Newcastle, of course, have been linked with him, like Trafford, for almost a year now, since last summer.
02:34I think that deal will get done.
02:37Again, that's just my hunch of, you know, what I've heard from people.
02:40I do think that is a deal that gets done.
02:42But, again, they're going to have to come up with some sort of compromise with Nottingham Forest because Forest aren't going to want to lose Ilanga, you know, one of their key players.
02:48They want to build, you know, they've got European football.
02:51They want to build their squad rather than weaken it before the beginning of the season.
02:54But I think Newcastle's interest is, you know, so concrete and all the noise suggests that, you know, they may be going back for a second bid.
03:01Of course, I had one rejected last week.
03:03Whether that bid is, you know, one that can be accepted by Forest and not, obviously, no one knows.
03:07Only the Forest hierarchy and all that.
03:09But I think that'll be one that does get done.
03:12And then you look and that's a right wing position that Newcastle really need to strengthen and get that strength.
03:16And that's a big positive.
03:18And then if they get Trafford, as I mentioned, that's a goalkeeper position that they've strengthened.
03:22Where else would they look?
03:23They'll probably look for another backup striker.
03:24Of course, Callum Wilson's left the club.
03:27Whether they think Ilanga can cover the striker or they've got enough players who can cover all areas or not, I don't think so.
03:34I think they will need another striker and maybe another centre-back as well.
03:37This time last year, obviously, Mark Gwee, who's the main target.
03:41That doesn't look like happening this year.
03:42And I think the centre-back will be somewhere they're strengthening.
03:44Just because of the injury problems they've had there with some of the players.
03:47They've got LaSalle's and Botman, for example.
03:49You've got Burn and Scher who were brilliant last season.
03:51But, you know, the wrong side of 30, certainly for how Newcastle want to build their squad going forward.
03:56So I think centre-back will be somewhere they're strengthening.
03:59And, yeah, it's going to be rocky somewhere, I think.
04:01I think it's going to be, you know, lots of highs, lots of lows.
04:04I think there's going to be lots of players linked with Newcastle, as there always is.
04:07But one thing is, I think it's sure, and I think Eddie Howe will, and whoever, you know, Andy Howe, Eddie Howe, Steve Nixon in charge of the transfer activity,
04:16they will strengthen the first-team squad before the season kicks off and probably before at least the main book of the pre-season gets underway.
04:23And, of course, the best way you can stay up to date with all the latest Newcastle United transfer news is with the Shields Gazette.
04:27And, of course, the best way you can stay up to date with the Shields Gazette.
