AliousArsenal legend Martin Keown has expressed doubts about Newcastle United’s pursuit of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.
The 58-year-old former player criticized Newcastle’s stance on Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) given the hefty £65 million transfer fee.
This comes despite Newcastle’s management, including Eddie Howe, repeatedly emphasizing how these financial restrictions affect their transfer activities.
Despite being backed by extremely wealthy owners, Newcastle has yet to make any significant signings this summer.
It’s believed that Guehi remains a target, with Newcastle currently in negotiations with Palace after having a fourth bid rejected.
While Keown acknowledges Guehi’s quality, he doesn’t see him as a priority for Newcastle.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Keown suggested that Newcastle should “step away at this point,” questioning whether central defense is the right area for the club to strengthen.
He pointed out that Newcastle already has numerous defenders, including Lloyd Kelly from Bournemouth, who Keown believes could be a potential “diamond.
“Keown speculated that Howe might be seeking Guehi due to dissatisfaction with Kelly’s pre-season performance or to address an aging defense.
However, he found it odd that Newcastle would spend £65 million on a defender when there had been talk of potentially selling Isak to meet FFP requirements.
This apparent contradiction in Newcastle’s financial strategy seems to puzzle Keown.
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