Two Best Transfers That Newcastle Have Completed In Recent Times
Newcastle United are set to return to the Premier League, just one season after they dropped to the EFL Championship, having been relegated in the 2015/16 season. Manager Rafael Benitez has managed to lead the Magpies back to the top echelon of English football in their first attempt and it was confirmed after Newcastle beat Preston North End 4-1 in the last week of April.
However, the work doesn’t stop there for Rafa as they will look to put in a strong showing in their return to the top-flight. There will be several incomings in the upcoming summer window as Benitez tries to build a squad that will be able to fight in the Premier League.
Over the past few years, Newcastle haven’t had the best of the records in the transfer market as many of the new buys have not managed to make it big at the St. James’ Park. Here we take a look at two of the best transfers Newcastle have completed in the last 5 years:
Moussa Sissoko
Before his poor attitude and public expression of the will to leave the club, the Frenchman was a star on the Tyneside. A key player for Newcastle since he arrived in the winter window of 2013 from French outfit Toulouse, Sissoko was often the driving force behind Newcastle’s good displays and he usually set the St. James’ Park alight with his skills, raw pace and talent. In his three and a half years with the club, Sissoko missed just 11 Premier League games, indicating how key the Frenchman was for the Magpies.
However, a lot of bad blood developed between the player and the supporters over his request to leave the club. Eventually, he departed last summer to join Tottenham Hotspur, after 133 appearances and 12 goals, for a fee of £30 million, earning the club a huge profit after they had paid just £1.5 million for his signing.
Jonjo Shelvey
Signed from Swansea City in January 2016 for a fee reported to be in the region of £12 million, months before Newcastle eventually got relegated, the Englishman has grown into one of the most pivotal players at the St. James’ Park.
By far one of the best midfielders in the Championship this season, Shelvey has grown into a fan favourite in a matter of 18 months and has been one of the chief driving forces behind their successful promotion under Benitez. 57 appearances so far since joining Newcastle last year, and 5 goals to show for, the former Swansea City and Liverpool midfielder has a great future at the club and will play a huge role in the next season upon their return to the Premier League.
Honourable Mentions
Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle.