Newcastle defender Javier Manquillo speaks on club criticism & personal transfer fantasies

Newcastle remain defiant in the face of heavy criticism

Newcastle defender Javier Manquillo has opened up on the Newcastle takeover and forthcoming transfer investment by the Public Investment Fund-led consortium ownership, despite the ongoing criticism the club and its new ownership continue to receive.

When speaking with The Telegraph, the Spanish left-back spoke directly about the situation unfolding at St. James’ Park in a new chapter for Newcastle as both a football club and a city during a period of growing frustration and uncertainty in the wake of the club’s 3-2 loss to Tottenham at the weekend and clashes in the dressing room;

“I understand that this operation will arouse antipathy or hatred but we are not going to stop enjoying this period because of this.”

Manquillo also was quick to try to douse fires around the continued confusion around the club’s handling of manager Steve Bruce, with the Spaniard speaking about his boss in a supportive manner;

“We are all professionals, Steve the first. He knows that the situation is not easy and even more so now that there is talk of his dismissal, but we are not getting carried away by the rumours.

He’s working normally, he wants to start to get back on track and we’ll see what happens in the end. I have read that there is talk of Gerrard and Lampard, but our manager now is Steve Bruce and we support him without hesitation.”

Eddie Howe is reportedly in discussions with Newcastle United as Steve Bruce faces the axe before the club faces Crystal Palace 🍒

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 19, 2021

Sky Sports (citing the Mirror) today made-mention of Eddie Howe being the latest manager to be linked with coming in to replace the former Manchester United center-back, but it is unclear how reliable this could turn out to be.

Manquillo weighs-in on ‘fantasy football’ amidst ambitions at St. James’ Park

After an investment of over £300million by the consortium ownership group to pry Newcastle away from Mike Ashley, the expected transfer spending spree on Tyneside is a little over two months away.

For Manquillo, there are some big names on the Spaniard’s shortlist that he feels he would target for winter moves if the decision making laid at his feet;

“If you ask me who I’d sign for Newcastle, I’d go for [Kylian] Mbappé and I’d go for [Erling] Haaland. If it was a PlayStation team I’d also go for Messi and Cristiano, but the youngsters who stand out the most right now are those two.”

Javier Manquillo: "If you ask me who I’d sign for Newcastle, I’d go for Mbappe and I’d go for Haaland. If it was a PlayStation team I’d also go for Messi and Cristiano." https://t.co/xCb7nnUnOM

— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) October 19, 2021

While no one expects Newcastle to pull off transfer coups of that magnitude, there is every reason to suggest that the club will look to buy in a manner that will have them competing heavily or silverware in the coming years, but Manquillo also understands that the process is a tiered-approach rather than a landscape shift that happens literally overnight;

“This has to go slowly. Obviously I think in the medium term, after four or five years the intention of the club is to be able to bring in the big stars of football.

We have two clear examples to bear in mind: both Manchester City and PSG did not become leading clubs in Europe overnight. Everything has its process and I imagine the same thing will happen to Newcastle. I’m talking about these two teams because the new owners said in their first interview that the goal was ambitious.”

With Newcastle recently being linked with a potential move for Fiorentina’s Serbian starlet Dusan Vlahović amidst continued interest from Tottenham, the Magpies could be set for their first real transfer showdown surrounding a player of unquestioned quality and immense potential.

NAPLES, CAMPANIA, ITALY – 2020/01/18: Fiorentina’s Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A football match SSC Napoli vs Fiorentina ACF.
Fiorentina won 2-0. (Photo by Salvatore Laporta/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Vlahović will certainly be the first of many bigger names link with Newcastle in the coming months as the club look to kick-off their rebuilding – and rebranding – as soon as possible.

And while Manquillo is correct in his assessment that the rebuild must go slowly if it is to get off the runway, Geordies the world over will sit with baited breath with curios excitement as to how the new owners plan to push the club forward both now and in the years to come.