Half of Premier League transfers fail, according to Dr Ian Graham, Liverpool's former director of research. Newcastle United appeared to have cracked the code with Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn all proving huge successes at St James' Park. But last summer's £100m-plus net spend, aside from defender Malick Thiaw, failed to deliver an immediate return.
Now, as Newcastle finalise a move for Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure, head coach Eddie Howe is counting on those underperforming signings to come good. "I believe in all those signings," he said in one of his final news conferences last season. "I think they will come good."
“Elanga and Wissa scored 5 goals at the World Cup after struggling at Newcastle last season.”
Two of them, Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa, offered positive signs at the World Cup. The pair scored five goals combined at the tournament – as many as they managed in their entire first season at Newcastle.
Elanga, a 24-year-old Sweden winger, came off the bench against the Netherlands with his side 4-0 down and needed just four minutes to race through and finish a blistering counter-attack. He started the next game against Japan, cutting inside and curling a shot to draw Sweden level. Though Sweden bowed out in the last 32 after a 3-0 defeat to France, Elanga emerged with credit.
"He's the kind of player that can change a game," said former Newcastle and Sweden team-mate Emil Krafth. Elanga showed that at Nottingham Forest, but found it challenging adapting to Newcastle's detailed system. There were flashes of his ability – a double at the Nou Camp in the Champions League knockout stages, causing Liverpool and Barcelona problems with his pace only for teammates to fail to convert his crosses. But it did not consistently come together, especially against low blocks.
Wissa's World Cup form was similarly encouraging. Can the duo take that renewed confidence back to Tyneside? The coming months will tell.