OPINION
Newcastle United turned down the chance to sign Germany international Max Meyer, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper reports that the Magpies were offered the former Schalke man, but turned down the chance to sign him because they couldn’t afford his wages.
The 22-year-old eventually ended up at Newcastle’s Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, with Toon boss Rafael Benitez severely restricted in the transfer window by the club’s strict financial frameworks.
The Chronicle states that Meyer would have cost the club around £170,000 per week, thought to be £100,000 more than Newcastle’s top earner Jonjo Shelvey.
It’s no surprise that Newcastle were priced out of a move for a player.
Benitez has been struggling to complete deals due to the limited finances being made available to him all summer, and it’s seen them miss out on a genuine talent here.
Meyer was recognised as one of world football’s most talented young players a few years ago, but his career has plateaued somewhat in recent seasons.
Still, he is an excellent signing for Palace and would’ve been a terrific pick-up for the Magpies too. £170,000 a week is a lot of money, but it shows how much money Premier League clubs are making that a team like Crystal Palace can afford to shell that out.
That Newcastle can’t says much about the club’s ownership, as the Magpies made more money for finishing higher up the league than Palace last year, and have generated more cash from player sales this summer as well.
This Meyer deal is yet another bitter pill for fans to swallow on Tyneside, something that has become an all too familiar feeling under Mike Ashley’s stewardship.