Monchi smiled when the inevitable question arrived.
Sevilla’s director of football heads up arguably football’s most sophisticated recruitment department. This is a club turning La Liga’s traditional order upside down through razor sharp use of data before everyone was into data. In short, they are a club that get things right.
But a month ago, a discreet chat with an agent alerted them that they were in the sights of Newcastle’s new owners, who, flush with money from a Saudi-backed takeover, saw value in Brazil international centre-back Diego Carlos.
At the first of several Zoom calls between Newcastle’s negotiators and Sevilla’s hierarchy, a figure was mentioned that fell well below Monchi’s valuation of Carlos. He knows the market, is a seasoned operator and knew the knock-on impact for a club with big ambitions of their own. There would be a replacement to be sourced and a premium applied to whoever they targeted.
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Yet after the first rejection, Newcastle returned. Carlos’ team let it be known he would like to speak to the Magpies. But the offer – “a very important offer,” Monchi admitted – was still not enough. The briefings in England were that the move was edging closer but in Andalusia, they refused to blink.
After a final conversation on Tuesday the Magpies, who saw a valuation close to £40m as too pricey for a player nearing 30, walked away.
So, how was it standing up to a sovereign wealth fund?
“People who have lots of money are smart – that’s why they have a lot of money!” Monchi replied when asked about the talks.
“We’ve had several conversations based on respect, a lot of respect. They offered their opinions, we offered ours and they understand we can reject their offer. Their offer was less than we expected.
“(But) we have to understand (in the negotiations) that each side defends their interests.”
Newcastle have seen lots of that this month. They have signed two players in a window they hoped would see six through the door.
The problem? They are running a recruitment strategy that has dual aims: protect their Premier League status by signing quality players ready to “plug in and play” while also setting the precedent for years to come that clubs and agents won’t – in the words of a senior source at Newcastle – “take the p__s”.
It has led them to walk away from deals like the Carlos one and, this week, negotiations with Manchester United for Jesse Lingard. Encouraged by the England international’s willingness to move to St James’ Park on loan they entered talks only to discover a £16million fee was being demanded. That worked out as £1m per week.
“If we accepted that, what is the message for the next window and the window after that?” A Newcastle source said. The tagline of “world’s richest club” isn’t helping. They have money but not limitless resources and every deal has to be “sense checked”.
When they approached Lille about Sven Botman and matched the fee that intermediaries had told them weeks ago would trigger a deal, the price went up. Twice. Exasperated, Newcastle moved on to Carlos only to find Sevilla were standing firm. Now they are targeting Brighton’s Dan Burn after having an initial bid rejected.
To outsiders it feels like a mess. Newcastle point out that many of the names linked to them are being put about by agents or clubs looking to leverage more for their players. And they’ll be heartened by Monchi countering the hostile voices who have derided their approach as amateurish.
But Newcastle’s negotiating team – led by co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben with Head of Recruitment Steve Nickson recommending players – know the tension is ratcheting up.
They pride themselves on a methodical approach but it always felt like a gamble not having a Director of Football and CEO in place in good time for January. Sources at Brighton think Dan Ashworth will fill that role soon, and they desperately need a “club builder” with experience of football to pull the club’s competing strategies together.
Until 1 February, drawing too many conclusions is unwise.
“There’s no panic,” one source told i. The club still hope to bring in three signings before Monday’s deadline – with a centre-back and box to box midfielder heading their list.
A deal for Lyon’s Bruno Guimarães is close. Arguments over the fee aren’t thought to be unsurmountable. They are working on other eye-catching deals.
But it says a lot about the twitchiness at Newcastle that the club have moved to plug the leaks that led to Lyon’s angry statement refuting a fee had been agreed. They know that time is running out to get the three extra players that Eddie Howe needs to make relegation less of a thudding concern.
Whatever happens, you can be sure that Newcastle will dominate conversations as we head into the business end of the transfer window. Agents see opportunity in Newcastle’s struggles.
“If they don’t have their players in before Monday it’s going to be carnage,” one recruitment executive predicted of the last minute rush. The first big test of the takeover is fast approaching.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/33S5W9s
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