Newcastle United were reportedly offered a chance to sign Mason Holgate from Everton on loan, but they refused.
According to a report from the Telegraph, Mason Holgate was one of the players offered to Newcastle United on loan, but the club hierarchy turned away given the lack of funds in their coffers to cover loan fees involved in any potential deal.
After the permanent signing of Joe Willock for a reported £25 million, the Magpies boss Steve Bruce indicated that finances are tight and Newcastle were now only looking at landing late loan arrivals.
The club did sign a certain Santiago Munoz from Santos Laguna on the transfer deadline day, but the 19-year-old will initially join the club’s academy. Newcastle brought the Mexican on an 18-month loan with an option to buy, which in itself exhibits the farcical state of their finances.
There were also the speculations of Hamza Choudhury and Boubacar Kamara joining in the 11th-hour of the deadline day, but nothing materialized. It’s understood that Kamara rejected Newcastle’s approach while the Magpies were unwilling to pay the loan fee and cover Choudhury’s wages that proved to be a deal-breaker. The Magpies eventually failed to bring any senior squad player through the door on the deadline day.
Newcastle was offered several players in the last weeks, including Harry Winks and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, with Everton also giving them the chance to sign Holgate as well. Securing any of these players had not only added quality to their ranks but would have significantly improved their first-team, but club owner Mike Ashley’s disinterest and lack of ambition came in the way to block the pathway to any potential incomings.
Holgate, meanwhile, have to stay at Everton, where he will have to compete for a starting spot under Rafa Benitez. In an ideal world, Holgate would have been an exciting signing to resolve the striking defensive issues.
This is not the first time Holgate has been linked with a move to Tyneside. Back in 2019, Steve Bruce was reported to have scouted the defender personally and was impressed, following which he tried to bring the player to the club but nothing came of it. This time out, they decided to pass up the chance to sign him.
It’s an opportunity missed for Newcastle, who should have pushed more to sign the 24-year-old if these claims have any substance. Holgate is a versatile ball-playing defender who can also operate at right-back. He has Premier League experience under his belt, having made 95 appearances.
Although Newcastle’s current defensive roster has the experience and know-how, it lacks pace and frontfoot defending. They are easily exposed and vulnerable to quick counters; it was visible in their opening three league fixtures where they conceded 8 goals; they badly needed some fresh legs in there but unfortunately couldn’t bring anyone in.
The only positive Newcastle can take from the summer window gone by is that their books are still in green and can hope for some business in January if things went against them.
