Who Newcastle should buy, but probably won't

Just a quick article/blog thing- sorry if its not very well written

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The summer transfer window will shut on Wednesday night, and unless the board get a move on, Newcastle will be left short on players. It is imperative in the next few days that Newcastle are able to bring in at least a left back and a striker. Here are some of the players we have been linked with that I feel we should sign:

Left Back:
After Jose Enrique's long awaited move to Liverpool was finally completed, I keenly awaited news of the arrival of a new left back. 2 Weeks later and still no-one has been brought in. With no recognised left back in the team, we need at least one player to fill 'The Bull's' rather large boots.


Erik Pieters (PSV)
Dutchman Pieters fits the Newcastle recruitment policy very well. He is young and cheap, but could also be very good for Newcastle. At only 23 he has already played a number of teams for the Holland national team, and has played for a good European side in PSV. It seems that his signing is imminent, for a fee of between 5 and 7 million, depending on what newspapers you read. From the few times I have seen him play he looks to be a good player that will only improve.


Centre Back
The centre of defence is a position of relative strength for Newcastle. Mike Williamson was recruited 18 months ago and has did well to establish a place in the side. Since Steven Taylor's return to fitness, there has been a competition for places. The second centre back position is taken by Coloccini, captain and fan favourite. He has grown into a very capable Premier League defender after a nightmare year in his first season in the north east. I do feel however that if a European club were to come calling, Newcastle might be persuaded to sell an aging defender who, according to the Daily Mirror is on up to £80,000 a week. I therefore feel that the addition of a young centre back may not be the worst idea.



James Tomkins (West Ham United)
If we were to dip into the market for a centre half, West Ham youngster James Tomkins would get my vote. Tomkins was one of few positives for for the Hammers last year, as he proved to be a very capable defender in a season in which he was given a real run in the side. He is only 22, and has made 10 appearances for the England u21 side. I feel is already a good strong defender, standing tall at 6'3", and will continue to get better in the coming years. I think he again would cost very little in the current market, and would be keen to have a another chance in the Premier League.

Midfield
The departure of Joey Barton may leave Newcastle short of some grit in the middle, but I feel with players such as Dan Gosling and Danny Guthrie on the fringes of the first team, it is not a position that needs addressing in this transfer window.

Forwards:
To really create some competition Newcastle need 2 new strikers in my view. Even last year when we has Carroll it felt as though we were relying on him too heavily, so I think it is important to have some competition for places. The sooner Nile Ranger is kicked out of the club the better. I used to think he could be the next big thing, but he has abused his position too many times, and with his latest misdemeanors- reportedly assaulting a 31 year old man- I think it is time for Newcastle to cut their losses and move on, as he does not seem to be the sort of player the club should be associated with. In the last few weeks, we have been linked with Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga, but there are also many others that could do well on Tyneside.

Modibo Maiga (Sochaux)

Maiga is a young striker playing for French team Sochaux. He has been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle, to such an extent that he has gone on strike in an attempt to force through a move. At only 23, and with 15 goals in 36 games for Sochaux, he obviously has a lot of potential, but I feel that the attitude he has shown is one that may be best avoided. I also feel that it is dangerous to buy almost exclusively from France. Yes, there are many players that have played in France and been world class, but there are also a number of players that have come from France and have been dubbed the next big thing, only to fail and disappear into anonymity- Anthony Le Tallec anyone?



Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal)

Nicklas Bendtner seems to split opinion. I feel that he would be a brilliant signing for us. Having watched him at Arsenal extensively (my Dad is a Gunner), I think he just needs to be loved. At Arsenal he has shown flashes of brilliance, and also flashes of sheer inability.  He seems to have been around a long time, yet is still only 23. During his time with the London club, he has always played second fiddle to Robin Van Persie, but I feel if he was given the role of being the main striker at a club; the number 9 role at Newcastle; he could grow into a very good player. He would probably cost around £10 million, but is proven in the Premier League, unlike Maiga.

If Newcastle get two of these players in, I guess most fans would be happy. The two that look most likely are Pieters and Maiga, with the former due to sign in the next few days. My only concern is that, with an Injury prone Demba Ba, and an unproven player such as the Sochaux man, Newcastle may once again be relying too heavily on the likes of Leon Best and Shola Ameobi.