As a new era dawns on Tyneside with John Carver and Steve Stone gone followed by the arrival of Steve McClaren, Newcastle United will be looking for an entire squad overhaul, bringing in players to build the club towards success – having set McClaren a target of 8th place and a serious cup run. If money becomes an issue, here’s a handful of Premier League free agents who should be on Graeme Carr’s radar.
Micah Richards
After a season long loan at Fiorentina, both the Italian side and parent club Manchester City opted not to offer him further a contract extension for his services. The 26-year-old still looks to have a much more to offer to a Premier League side and may even want to force his way back into the England team fold, having won 13 caps previously in 9 years. He also featured prominently for the Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympics, alongside the likes of Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy. The Newcastle defence needs a complete reshuffle and Richards would be versatile enough to cover at both center-half and right-back, should Daryl Janmaat be unavailable at any point.
Ron Vlaar
Having been released by Aston Villa, the Dutch centre half should be a wanted man, having previously been linked with Manchester United and Arsenal in recent years. Vlaar had an outstanding World Cup campaign last summer and was a rare exception for Villa in a somewhat woeful season. At 30, Vlaar will feel he has some good years left in him and will want to see them out at a club offering regular first team football and much ambition under a new head coach.
John Guidetti
The Manchester City forward has also been deemed surplus to requirements at Eastlands, having spent last season on loan in East Glasgow at Scottish champions Celtic. 15 goals in 35 appearances may have caught the eye at a number of clubs, as Guidetti searches for a club to find first team football, should a permanent return to Celtic not be in the pipeline.
Glen Johnson
A full international and recently released by Liverpool, Johnson could prove to be stiff competition for Daryl Janmaat. Newcastle may be looking at bringing in another right-back to the club if they don’t promote one through the academy, given Janmaat is their only senior one to date. Johnson may not settle playing second fiddle, or competing with the Dutch international for top spot, knowing he can walk straight into other Premier League sides, so the signing looks unlikely. If Johnson wants first team regular football now, he’ll also have to take a wage cut wherever he goes – unless he went abroad, as expected.
Didier Drogba
Perhaps slightly ambitious and unlikely, the experience of Drogba alone could help teach someone like Rivière about using his strength more constructively, the art of heading, finishing, free-Kicks from range, as well as fitting the bill of the club wanting to bring in at least two strikers this summer.
At 37, it would go against the club’s policy of signing players for long term, and it’d be unlikely that an iconic Chelsea hero would sign for another English side. That said, even a Chelsea legend Frank Lampard made an unexpected switch to Premier League opposition last summer.
