Michael Dawson has called recent Newcastle United transfer target Ben Mee a “very, very good” player.
Newcastle’s first dip into the transfer market following the Saudi Arabian Private Investment Fund’s takeover saw them bring in five new faces in January for an overall fee of £91.89m. With a 10-point lead over 18th in the Premier League table, top-flight safety is close to being secured, suggesting the summer will see an even more significant influx of players as the Magpies look to move up the table.
The Toon were linked with a January move for Burnley defender Mee, who is out of contract at the Clarets at the end of the term – although there is the option for an extra year. Speaking on Sky Sports (via HITC), Dawson praised the 32-year-old, saying: “He has been linked. There have been teams and Burnley have held their temptation to cash in because they know how much money there is in the Premier League.
“His contract is coming to an end. There will be plenty of takers. You talk of Leicester being linked, West Ham linked, a free agent, you look at Newcastle.
“He’s a player that you would want in your trenches. Never chucks a towel in and since he went there, he has been very, very good. He’s a defender and puts his body on the line.”
TIF Thoughts on Mee’s potential Newcastle move…
Interestingly, Eddie Howe signed the ‘role model’ for Burnley back in 2011 and then the pair were separated a year later when the manager left the Clarets for Bournemouth.
Over the past few years, Mee has shown himself to be a solid, reliable centre-back. The former Manchester City man has been a mainstay ever since the north-west outfit earned promotion to the Premier League in 2016, and with 367 appearances for the club, he will go down in their history.
Should Newcastle sign Mee?
Yes
No
There would be little risk in taking Mee to St James’ Park on a free transfer, but it hardly screams long-term planning. Newcastle’s new spending power allows them to compete for more glamorous, promising talents, at least in a financial sense, and with all of their current centre-backs aged at least 28, they are hardly crying out for more experience.
Mee will continue to do a job for one of the sides towards the lower end of the table, but with all due respect to the Burnley captain, Newcastle should perhaps be setting their sights a little higher given their resources.