So long Daryl, hello DeAndre

Ask any Newcastle United fan to summarise their opinion on Daryl Janmaat and they would probably say something along the lines of decent footballer, good attacking, average at best in defence - oh and he broke his hand punching the Southampton dressing room wall (the most fight he had shown all season one could argue). There’s not much more that I can add to that - he really is a decent footballer and hasn’t done much wrong for the club - he is steady, does his job, but rarely stands out. In fact, his career at the club has followed a fairly similar path to that of his predecessor Mathieu Debuchy; an international player signed for a fairly cheap fee, did a job, then sold on for a profit. For me though, Debuchy had a better all round game, hence his fairly heft £12m transfer fee to Arsenal (that worked out well didn’t it Mathieu?).

I’ve been discussing Janmaat on some forums and Twitter this week with fellow NUFC fans and also West Ham and Watford who were both strongly linked with him over the last few days Both sets of fans are asking about him but it is hard to say more than what I wrote above - good attacking, poor defending is pretty much a bang on summary for him. He’s pretty much a modern day full back - he has pace and stamina and can run up and down the wing all day long. He is cracking at getting forward and delivering crosses and in fairness, if he plays in the right side he would be a great asset for them but unfortunately for Janmaat, and indeed Newcastle, something just never really clicked.

This morning is has been confirmed that he has signed for Watford for a fee around £8m. I think part of me wanted him to stay at the club, especially given he has played in a couple of games for the club already this season but the inevitable has happened and, much like Andros Townsend, he wants to continue his career in the Premier League rather than the Championship.

Luckily for Newcastle United, we have all but signed Spurs right back DeAndre Yedlin as a replacement for Janmaat for £5m. Most are saying that is good business, we’ve made £2.5m and gained an arguably better, younger, player. However, Yedlin is not a player I know that much about other than he played for Sunderland on loan last season and the general consensus is he is great at going forward and average in defence, so no harm done there!

I guess if you want a full back capable of both attacking and defending in equal measures you have to pay for the privilege; the likes of Luke Shaw, Leighton Baynes, Dani Alves and Marcelo can do both but right now, players of this calibre our beyond our reach. The other option of course is to get a full back in who can defend but not attack. We have a perfect example of that on the left hand side of defence in Paul Dummett (and yes, I know his “best” position is centre back!) and quite frankly, it doesn’t work - if anything, full backs must attack more than they defend otherwise the side just get pushed further and further back.

It has been an incredibly busy week on the transfer front with Alan Judge likely to follow Yedlin through the door in a £1.5m move from Brentford. Siem De Jong has already departed and there are strong rumours that the absolutely pointless buy Henri Saivet will join a French side on loan (thanks Mr G. Carr). It is likely that more in-comings and out-goings are expected over the next week in what will have been the most active transfer window that I have even known - it was needed though. There is one thing for certain, the squad that the magpies end up with once the transfer window has shut will look nothing like the squad that took us down last season and that can only be a good thing.