On behalf of everyone associated with true faith, we welcome Florian Thauvin to Newcastle United. We hope he has a long and very successful career with the club.

We also hope that Florain grows to regard Newcastle as his home city and develops a strong emotional attachment to the football club and the community here in the North East it represents.

FlorianThauvin2We congratulate those at the club for securing this transfer.

We wish Remy Cabella heading to Marseille in what is widely reported as a loan-deal all the very best for his future career and regret his move to Newcastle United hasn’t worked out for him or the club.

United has now made four first team signings over the summer and like everyone we hope these new players have a major impact on the fortunes of our team. We hope they are a key part in taking the club forward and assisting in it fulfilling its huge potential. We do hope they have been brought to United to build a team, rather than to put in the shop window for planned future sales.

At the start of the close season, like many others we highlighted the need for six new first team players. We identified central defence, midfield and attack as the key areas. The club has signed a central defender, a midfielder and a striker. Today we expect Thauvin to become the creative midfielder that has been on many people’s shopping lists.

As things stand, there remain a central defender and a centre-forward to sign to complete what would be a very satisfying transfer window. These will be challenges for the club to deliver. However, without them it is unlikely to see United deliver on Mike Ashley’s stated ambition for a place in the top eight and a good runs in the cup competitions.

Of course the new players are all from foreign leagues, which with all due respect to them are not as intensely competitive  as the Premier League. They and their new coach will need time to settle in and develop in new surroundings.

There are of course other gaps in the team which over time we would like to see addressed – namely at Left Back and central midfield but given the actions of this window, notwithstanding business that remains outstanding, I’m sure we recognise that these areas will need to be addressed in forthcoming widows as other priorities emerge.

But back to today’s business and once again, welcome Florian to Newcastle United Football Club.