Newcastle United co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi told fans that "patience is a virtue" back on June 15 as the Magpies faithful grew frustrated at the lack of movement in the transfer market. After all, it had been an entire week since Matt Targett's permanent deal had been announced.
Before the month of June was out, the Newcastle chief's message had been proven right. Nick Pope and Sven Botman had joined the ranks, taking the summer spending to a cool £60m so far.
Admittedly we are nearing the business end of July and a transfer roadblock has been hit as attacking prospects prove tricky to acquire. Key targets such as Moussa Diaby and Alexander Isak are slightly out of reach at present due to their significant value to Bayer Leverkusen and Real Sociedad respectively.
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However, six weeks remain until the closure of the transfer window and the transfer team at St. James' Park are working hard to ensure quality is added to Eddie Howe's squad before the end of the summer. The minor setbacks currently plaguing Newcastle may well be a distant footnote by the time the window slams shut.
Howe himself is keen to get the right players through the door this summer and clearly agrees with Ghodoussi that a measured approach is what is required this summer.
"You can make big mistakes if you don't show patience at times," he told Sky Sports after Monday's 1-0 defeat to Mainz. "You have to. We're trying to bring in the right players that hopefully make a difference to the team. Hopefully, we will get those calls right."
Howe is keen to add attacking outlets to his group before the opening game with Nottingham Forest but has publicly backed his current crop of players to perform when needed. The likes of Miguel Almiron, Ryan Fraser, Chris Wood and Jacob Murphy look set to remain, with the Magpies boss clearly not short of bodies going forward.
Patience is required from a fanbase still coming to terms with their new-found wealth and the untold possibilities that lie ahead. But it is a marathon, not a sprint, and Newcastle are in good hands as they navigate this tricky transfer market.
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