Newcastl Unied's Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey

Newcastle's buying policy since the takeover more than four years ago has been held up as a shining example of great recruitment.

The successes have piled up virtually without a failure . . . Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Harvey Barnes, Nick Pope.

However for the first time this summer questions have been levelled about value for money. Oh Malick Thiaw has followed along the yellow brick road to the promised land, but question marks remain over many. The jury is still out.

Nick Woltemade at a club-record £69m has split opinion . . . a centre-forward with totally different attributes and failings to what has gone before. Anthony Elang

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