Jadon Sancho proves Howe and Mitchell right over controversial Newcastle United transfer stance
With Newcastle United's hands tied when it came to transfers in the January transfer window thanks to PSR regulations, there were pleas in some quarters for the loan market to be examined.
If big-money transfer fees were off the table, for now at least, then surely a temporary deal would have given Eddie Howe some much-needed squad cover, especially after Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly were sold. Loans aren't risk-free, of course, with a hefty fee usuall involved on top of the wages committment that comes with any deal.
It was an avenue sporting director Paul Mitchell and head coach Howe were reluctant to go down, despite previous success with Lewis Hall and Matt Targett. Those deals, however, were a very different proposition to what might have happened last month.
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Had United panicked and signed a loan player just to tick a box, then the repercussions could have been extremely damaging. Just look the furore currently surrounding one of Manchester United's loanees, Jadon Sancho. The former England winger had once been linke with Newcastle, although no deal was ever close given the huge pricetag the Red Devils put on the 24-year-old.
His move to Chelsea has not got to plan for either the club nor the player, with the ex-Borussia Dortmund star replaced by 19-year-old Tyrique George as Enzo Maresca's side crashed out of the FA Cup to Aston Villa last weekend. To make matters worse, he envoked the ire of the red half of Manchester when he took to social media to comment "Freedom," on Marcus Rashford's Instagram post to mark his Villa debut, accompanied by praying and celebratory emojis.
Both have been frozen out at Old Trafford amid accusations over attitude, and yet both have found a temporary home at the top level of the Premier League.
That Newcastle were never linked with either is credit to the Mitchell and Howe's stance. Loans can work, but must be carefully considered and never as a last-minute desperate measure. That was never going to happen at St James' Park and while it was frustrating to see another window pass without serious spending, it bodes well that the club's hierarchy have a transfer strategy that they are sticking to.
