00:00So, after weeks of wondering when, your guest tonight,
00:02we're going to start getting their acting gear in the Champions League market.
00:05They have done so within the last couple of days, really.
00:08We've seen a deal from Malik Chow get over the line now.
00:11He's someone that they've wanted for almost a year now, pretty much over a year.
00:15Eddie Howe was asked about him back in Japan last year.
00:18He said at that time he respected the player, he liked the player,
00:21from the scouting they've done and when they met in the Champions League the season before.
00:26He played in the game at the San Siro,
00:28but of course couldn't comment on the player at the time.
00:30They finally got that deal done.
00:31Now, a lot of people will look at the price tag.
00:33It's one that AC Milan agreed a £21 million fee with Como earlier in the window.
00:40Newcastle are now paying at least £10 million more than that
00:43and probably even a little bit on top of that.
00:45But, you know, it's a deal that they've got over the line.
00:49The price tag, forget about it, they've managed to get the player
00:51and that's what they wanted.
00:52So many times this window they've either not got a player because they haven't paid much
00:56or, you know, seen players move elsewhere.
00:58And the fact that they've got this one over the line, a player they like, is really positive.
01:01Now, he'll be, hopefully, Fabian Scher's long-term replacement in that right centre-back role.
01:07It was a role they had for Mark Gahey.
01:09Obviously, last summer, that transfer hasn't happened for a variety of reasons.
01:14He probably is off to Liverpool.
01:16So, it's someone that finally they've got over the line.
01:19And with him and Botman, that's a partnership I think the club really like.
01:21And if Botman can stay fit this year, they'll have, Chao has a year to sort of bed into the team.
01:27I don't expect he'll start on Saturday, certainly not.
01:30And I don't expect he'll start probably in the next couple of weeks.
01:32But once the games start coming fast, thick and fat, you know, Champions League, Carabao Cup,
01:38hopefully in Premier League games, that Chao will have, you know, lots of game time.
01:42So, that's a good sign.
01:43And then, of course, news broke very recently that they're interested in Jacob Ramsey
01:46and that a deal is very much progressing for him.
01:48Again, Jacob Ramsey is someone that's been linked with Newcastle for probably about 18 months.
01:52I think I recollect links to him sort of last January, not 2025 or 2024.
01:59But, of course, finances meant that a deal couldn't get over the line.
02:01But he's a player Eddie Howe likes.
02:03And realistically, when you've got a player manager likes, and we've seen with Chao,
02:06we've seen with Alanga, Newcastle, you know, have backed them,
02:09Eddie Howe, to make right decisions on players.
02:12And that is someone that will both sell the midfield ranks.
02:14It's really good to see them addressing that because I think that's an area that's gone under.
02:19I underappreciate the fact that they haven't got that many options,
02:20especially if you're going to play three across midfield.
02:23With Joe Willock now in general, of course, Sean Locks are sold.
02:25You've only really got four options in there.
02:27And as much as them four options, or certainly the three, the starting three,
02:30are among the best in the Premier League, you need depth.
02:32And Ramsey will bring that.
02:33He can't play on the left wing if needed, although quite stacked in that area.
02:36And there's also a way for him maybe to play behind the striker.
02:38You know, I think Newcastle struggled last year and have struggled in previous seasons,
02:42breaking teams down.
02:44And maybe that, anyhow, that might change from a 4-3-3 formation to maybe a bit of a 4-2-3-1.
02:49You know, get someone in behind the striker who can make runs off them,
02:52you know, play nice passes.
02:53And they're going to have exciting options out wide.
02:56They're going to have whoever plays up front, someone decent up front.
02:58So having someone behind, maybe like Ramsey who can play in that role,
03:01or having Ramsey in there and maybe Bruno flying up,
03:04they can then have, you know, attackers of five or the three strikers,
03:07maybe have Sandro sitting.
03:08So there's lots of options for Eddie Howe.
03:09I think that it's exciting that, you know, it's strengthening Aston Villa's PSR worries,
03:15you know, giving them £40 million or up near £40 million anyway.
03:19But again, much on the price tag with Chow.
03:22To play out the like, they've got them in.
03:24And I don't think I'm, you know, criticising too much on getting a deal in for that.
03:27So hopefully, they can get that deal over the line.
03:29And I don't expect Ramsey to play at Villa Park.
03:31I don't expect Chow to play at Villa Park.
03:33But it's good news to have these in.
03:35And hopefully by September comes, they can really start bending them in.
03:39And we can really start seeing how, you know, they operate in an Eddie Howe system.
03:43Is this anything that's done this summer?
03:45I don't think so.
03:45I think they'll certainly need a striker.
03:47Well, of course they do.
03:48They need A, a backup to Isak.
03:50And B, potentially sort out whatever the Isak situation is.
03:54So I'm not going to talk about that because I've talked about that too much this summer.
03:57But yeah, it's going to be, it's not the end of the window, I don't think, for Newcastle.
04:00But it's a very good couple of days after, as I said, after a struggle and start at the window.
04:04The fact they've got these players all the night.
04:05And I think Newcastle fans will be excited to see what they can do whenever they make the debut for Newcastle United.
04:13And of course, the best way you can stay up to date with all the latest Newcastle United transfer news.
04:16And whatever happens between now and 7pm on Monday 1st September is with the Shields Gazette.
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