Getting players on loan, and indeed loaning players out to clubs is as much taken for granted by football fans as the traditional pint or pie before games. However, when signing someone like Jamal Lewis, even on loan, it has to be a carefully balanced negotiation process. Equal to sorting out a permanent deal
In the case of Jamal, he hasn’t had the best of luck regards selection under Eddie Howe, in fact he has played more minutes this pre season for Newcastle than he did the whole of last season. And that was on,y nine minutes. It all sort of went awry for Jamal when Eddie Howe arrived at St James Park. He had made a number of appearances before Howe took the reigns, but since then hasn’t really seen the light of day.
Injuries haven’t helped.
For those who haven’t heard of Jamal Lewis, he was transferred to Newcastle United from Norwich City after being a big part of the Canaries promotion to the premier league in 2019. The Magpies beat Liverpool (below) to his signature paying out fifteen million pounds. Just before Newcastle flew out for the Premier League series tournament in the USA Howe said of Lewis, "The future is a little bit unclear for him. He’s very much a valued member of our squad at the moment. I’m very aware I’ve not been able to give him the football he wants this season but I would say his game has developed behind the scenes. The work he’s put in behind the scenes every day to improve himself with the coaches here has been brilliant to see. His game has been in a really good place, just I haven’t been able to give him the opportunities to show that”
And then he left Jamal at home and out of his thirty four man USA squad.
That’s exactly what Newcastle United want to hear from their head coach, and he has also remarked on Jamal’s impeccable behaviour in training and his overall attitude. It seems that Jamal is just not good enough for this current Newcastle side. This limits his availability as well, it was disclosed when he signed for Newcastle his salary was very close to forty thousand pounds a week. So, we have a fifteen million pound player on forty thousand a week, and there’s talk of a championship loan ? The only way the Swans could in any way afford that would be with the Magpies weighing in with at least half that amount, potentially a lot more. That leaves Watford who are also in for Lewis, and from our regular Sunday chat it seems they are favourites, or were some two days ago. Couple that with the Hornets having more cash to throw around than most in the championship then Newcastle may prefer him to be there than in west Wales.
No player wants to take a step down in levels, but as we reported yesterday Lewis is twenty five, his best days could be in front of him at the right club, but another season kicking his heels at Newcastle won’t benefit him at all. His hamstring injury doesn’t seem to be bothering him as much as it did when Matt Targett was signed by Newcastle to replace him. Jamal did have a lengthy lay off, so you would think he will make a move for his own sake this summer.
Due to Howe’s support of the player and his behaviour his price tag will be way over what the Swans can afford, we are also told that Newcastle could cut their losses and let him go for around six million pounds. That’s also a figure that would make the Swans majority owners fall off their chairs if they had to pay it. And then there’s the weekly salary. The maths just don’t add up. I will admit I mentioned yesterday a loan to buy, but now we have investigated the real sums behind Lewis that seems a real long shot.
Currently the decision makers at Swansea City are being unnervingly quiet, now if you apply that to general human behaviour that should tell you they are up to something. They have to be really, and Lee Buchanan at Werder Bremen is still a target. However, Lewis would be a great signing despite being described as a ‘bit rusty’ this summer. You would expect that. However, those mind boggling figures that will keep repeating themselves on you all Monday for sure just seem insurmountable. Unless of course there’s been some benevolence from the north east and Jamal is indeed one of the premier league players Michael Duff referred to post match on Friday night.
When you review those figures, Swans Sporting Director Paul Watson is going to need some magic dust to sprinkle over the deal if it was to be a success. And plenty of it.