Keegan issues transfer mission statement

Jul 18 2008 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

KEVIN Keegan has made his first transfer mission statement of the summer, moving to reassure fans that there will be further signings and confirming that the club’s recruitment policy centres on bringing in players who will be long-term assets.

Aware that Newcastle’s squad has been heavily depleted since the end of last season, Keegan has emphasised the importance of bringing in more new faces before the start of the season – but he is adamant that will not see a deviation from the new transfer policy at St James’s Park.

So far Newcastle have signed Argentina winger Jonas Gutierrez, aged 25, and Liverpool midfielder Danny Guthrie, aged 21 – a clear indication that the focus is on recruiting players the ‘right side’ of 30.

Keegan believes progress is being made on that front, and in a further encouraging sign for supporters, the United manager has also insisted that he will not sell any of the club’s marquee names before the transfer window shuts at the end of August.

That should allay fears over the future of pivotal players like Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen, who have been the subject of speculation linking them with moves away from Tyneside for most of the summer.

It is the identity of the players Keegan will be bringing in, however, that will exercise the minds of supporters most before United kick off their Premier League campaign at Old Trafford on August 17.

“We not only will (add new faces), we have to,” Keegan told the club’s official website. “But what we’ve got to ensure is that we don’t get players in just for the sake of it. It’s easy to bring in players and they’re all the same, then you’re left trying to pick from a bunch of players and you say, ‘Well he’s as good as him’.

“But, of course, to get the players in that are going to spark the others off and add something to the team will always be a little bit more difficult.

“We’ll keep going on those fronts. We’ve tried for a few and not always been successful.

“We’ve also had a lot thrown at us which we don’t think are right for one reason or another, be it either wrong position or wrong age.

“And, while everyone at the club knows we’re not going to look a gift horse in the mouth with an older player coming in, we are trying to get, for all the right reasons, younger players who can stay at the club longer.”

The pressing need for reinforcements was emphasised by the club’s longest-serving player Steve Harper earlier this week, who admitted the dressing room felt “depleted” after the overhaul overseen by Keegan at the start of the summer.

But after the departures of Emre and David Rozehnal and a number of fringe first-team squad members, United are unlikely to lose any more players with first team potential this summer.

Striker Shola Ameobi is free to leave if any of his Championship suitors can meet United’s valuation, but others will only depart if Keegan sanctions it.

That should signal an end to reports linking James Milner with a summer exit – and also soothe fears over the futures of Owen, Martins and goalkeeper Shay Given.

“Like I’ve said, we’ve got a small squad so it’s no good getting one in to get one out, that just means you’ve maybe changed a position,” said Keegan.

“Obviously there will always be talk of players leaving because we’ve got some very good players here. But they will only leave here if we want them to, that’s for sure.

“We’re not looking to sell our top-class players, we want to add top-class players to play alongside them.”