Danny Guthrie. Not exactly a new name to send a shiver down your spine, but from what I've been told by a Bolton supporting friend of mine, he isn't the mediocre Premier League midfielder some have written him off as.
According to my man in the know, Guthrie was a rare source of pleasure in an otherwise dismal season while on loan at the Reebok Stadium and Wanderers were desperate to sign him on a permanent basis.
Alright, granted, his arrival is exactly a bold statement about the club's ambition and it isn't the sort of big name signing which is going to sprinkle some stardust on Kevin Keegan's squad, but that doesn't necessarily mean he isn't going to be a success at St James's Park.
I guess there is something galling about buying someone from Liverpool's reserve team, but those supporters who still believe Newcastle can compete with the big boys for the biggest names in European football are sadly mistaken.
Liverpool are in the Champions League and have one of the best midfields in Europe, so there is no shame in the fact Guthrie couldn't get a game at Anfield. If you remember, Blackburn Rovers plucked David Bentley out of Arsenal's reserves and he's an England international after a couple of good seasons at Ewood Park.
Without European football this season and without the sort of financial backing enjoyed by Manchester City and Chelsea, Kevin Keegan has to cut his cloth accordingly and Guthrie might prove to be an inspired choice.
As for those who are jealous of City, let's just remember this is a club which has sacked Sven Goran-Eriksson after just one season, despite finishing in the top half of the table and qualifying for the Uefa Cup via the Fairplay thingy-me-jig! Oh and the owner is on trial in his native Thailand....
At the very least, those who are questioning Keegan's judgement or worrying about the lack of ambition being shown in the transfer market should at least keep their mouths shut until the kid - he's only 21 remember - has had a chance to show us what he can do.
This time last year, Newcastle were preparing to spend £6m to sign Alan Smith from Manchester United. My prediction is that Guthrie will prove to be far better acquisition at one sixth of the cost, but then again, I've never been Smith's biggest fan have I!?
At this stage, I think we should all just remind ourselves that it isn't the price on the ticket that matters, it's the quality of the garment which ultimately determines whether you have got value for money or not.
Now all Keegan needs is a couple of full-backs, a centre-back, an attacking and creative midfielder and perhaps another striker to add a little bit of magic to a hardworking, but pedestrian side.
Finally, there were a few technical problems with this blog at the end of last week and over the weekend, but I think everything is working properly again now after an upgrade which actually made the system harder to operate than before. Progress indeed!
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