While I'm fantasizing, as I tend to do when I should instead be productive, I decided to comb through the squad and determine who I'd dump completely. Because why not. It's fun to dream.
GoalkeepersJak Alnwick
DefendersMike Williamson
Steven Taylor
Fabricio Coloccini
Ryan Taylor
MidfieldersCheick Tiote
Jack Colback
Jonas Gutierrez
Gabriel Obertan
ForwardsEmmanuel Riviere
Yoan Gouffran
Leaving us with, for next season...
GK: Tim Krul, Karl Darlow, Rob Elliot, (Freddie Woodman)
LB: Massadio Haidara, Davide Santon, (Shane Ferguson)
CB: Paul Dummett, Jamaal Lascelles, (Curtis Good, Remi Streete, Lubomir Satka, Kevin Mbabu)
RB: Daryl Janmaat
CM: Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Mehdi Abeid, (Gael Bigirimana, Olivier Kemen)
AM: Siem de Jong, Sylvain Marveaux, Haris Vuckic
F: Remy Cabella, Rolando Aarons, Sammy Ameobi, Adam Armstrong
ST: Papiss Cisse, Ayoze Perez, (Adam Campbell, Callum Roberts)
Obviously I don't expect to see the likes of Marveaux or Santon in a Newcastle kit again, and players like Sissoko and Cisse could easily be sold on in the summer.
So by my count, in this fantasy world in which we have competent ownership and management, we'd need 2 starting CBs, a fullback, a CM, and a striker. At the very least.
