Why transfer window was subdued – despite Mike Ashley splurge | David Conn

02 February 2019 10:00
Most Premier League clubs sticking with their squads as Newcastle finally spend may be a matter of individual circumstances rather than a new trendThe headline nobody expected at the start of this or any other transfer window finally wrote itself as January ended with a cold snap: Newcastle spend big on a player. In a Premier League window otherwise dominated by an eerie spending freeze, Mike Ashley appeared to blink first in his icy stand-off with Rafael Benítez and sanction that club-record £21m outlay for the MLS midfielder Miguel Almirón.While Benítez has been far from shy in expressing his frustrations with the tightness of the purse strings at St James’ Park, Ashley’s motivations are more baffling to decipher, an exercise in Kremlinology or Sports Direct-ology. Related: Transfer window verdict: how every Premier League club fared in January Continue readingreadfullarticle

Source: TheGuardian