Graham Carr reportedly said Mike Ashley would never spend a transfer fee of a single player upwards of £15million while he owned Newcastle United – and fans have taken to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction.
Chronicle football editor Mark Douglas, writing in a column for the newspaper, claimed that ex-recruitment chief Carr abandoned recommending footballers around or above that valuation because they always fell on deaf ears with the Ashley regime.
“He would put players into the board that would cost more than £15million but soon realised that there was no real will to go out and get them,” Douglas explained.
Newcastle missed out on signing such top forwards from their previous favourite Ligue 1 hunting ground such as Loic Remy on two occasions, Michy Batshuayi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, even though all were said to be keen to make the move to St James’ Park.
Carr snapped up some bargains from the French league during his seven-year spell as chief scout that came to an end last summer when he mutually agreed with Newcastle to quit.
But it appears there was an unspoken order from on high to avoid recommending players who came close to smashing the club transfer record set with the £16.8million signing of Michael Owen from Real Madrid 13 years ago.
Newcastle supporters are disappointed that Ashley has been so cautious in the transfer market, with one claiming it was the obvious reason for why Rafael Benitez has yet to commit to a new contract.
Nothing But Newcastle has rounded up some of the best tweets:
 
I just can’t see it happen mark, he’ll cry that we’re skint and won’t put the £ up
— Joe (@JoeD_Nufc) June 2, 2018
These comments from former chief scout Graham Carr & he said that Ashley will NOT pay over £15m for any player .. Wow if that’s true this is Graham’s words not ours & what would Rafa think of this latest news ? Talking about ambition this owner if true is a disgrace #NUFC
— john_NUFC42 (@john_nufc42) June 2, 2018
Can only hope things have changed since, if we sell players and raise £25m, would he really stop Rafa buying a player just because they’re over £15m? Hope not…
— Roz
Mark Douglas is the mystery journalist in question, he of course works for the chronicle I would imagine this is legit. I don’t think however, that this is rhe same transfer policy we are working with now
— Coming Home Newcastle (@ComingHomeNUFC) June 2, 2018
of course it’s true & why rafa won’t sign new contract #ASHLEYOUT
— Mal Huddart (@M4lah75) June 2, 2018
It’s obviously True and shouldn’t shock anyone .
They are not here for football only for advertising. Football is an irrelevance to them .— David HUDDART (@DavidHUDDART1) June 2, 2018
We thought the same last summer
— Joe (@JoeD_Nufc) June 2, 2018
