United boss on the lookout for four new signings

Jul 21 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

KEVIN Keegan is still four signings away from the squad he wants next season, and the Newcastle United manager pointed to Damien Duff’s first pre-season game for the club as evidence of why he wants the Irishman to be part of it.

Debutant Danny Guthrie came off the bench to score one goal and make another as the Magpies opened their pre-season with a 4-1 win over Hartlepool United.

But Duff stole the attention with a hat-trick as his manager promised “there’s more to come”.

In two injury-hampered seasons at St James’s Park, the 29-year-old has managed just two goals. But Keegan has told Duff he is part of his plans, and with Jonas Gutierrez unavailable and James Milner starting in central midfield the winger was able to reap what his manager felt were the rewards of a good start to his pre-season.

“We’ve got to draw a line under what’s gone before,” he said. “He hasn’t had a chance to put a foundation into his season for three years.

“Any player who misses pre-season, no matter how good they are or where they play, it’s very hard without a proper base. I think you’ll see a different Damien Duff this season. You saw signs of that on Saturday but there’s more to come.

“We definitely want to keep him, he sets good standards in training and you need those players.

“I’ve absolutely no doubt it’s the fittest Damien’s been since he joined Newcastle, he’s at the weight he was at 18.

“He’s worked so hard in training at everything we’ve put on. After 80

minutes he looked like he had a turbo charger in him, as did James Milner and a couple of others. By the time we get to Valencia (who Newcastle host in a pre-season friendly on August 9) that’s where the fitness will kick in.”

Gutierrez’s registration is yet to come through, though Keegan expects to have him available for Saturday’s trip to Doncaster Rovers, while Geremi has been given extra time off after representing Cameroon this summer.

Duff (pictured above) started on the right flank against Hartlepool but switched to the left for the second half when N’Zogbia replaced Jose Enrique at left-back. With Milner playing on the right after the interval, United have a strength-in-depth out wide they lack elsewhere.

With Steve Harper injured in training, Habib Beye and Michael Owen not risked because of sore calves, Guthrie held back until half-time because of sore shins, Mark Viduka not expected to be back in full training until August and Abdoulaye Faye another recuperating from international commitments, Newcastle’s bench had a particularly youthful look.

It is why Keegan is anxious to ensure that when Newcastle’s season begins on August 17, Guthrie and Gutierrez are not still his only additions. “Ideally we need about four quality players in the right positions,” said Keegan. “We only had what I’d call 12 senior players (only 13 of his squad had played Premier League football) but it was about the strongest team I had available.

“We haven’t got competition everywhere, we need to address that and that’s what we’re trying to do.

“We might not have been so successful in the market but there’s a long time to go. If the right player comes in and we think he’s right for Newcastle United we’ll be there pitching.

“We’ll definitely be in (transfer market) by the end of the transfer window because you just cannot go into the Premiership season with this small squad.”

Jose Antonio Reyes has re-emerged as a possible target with Atletico Madrid coach Javier Aguirre having refused to use the ex-Arsenal player in pre-season.

United were interested at the start of the summer but whether they still are following the signing of Gutierrez will depend on whether Keegan sees the Spaniard as more of a winger or centre-forward.