Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles is a leader on the field for United and hopes to be leading more new arrivals out onto the St James’ Park field in the upcoming season, as quoted by The Shields Gazette.
Lascelles has been examining the Toon’s activity in the summer market, after sharing the field with club-record signing Joelinton for the first time in an eventual afternoon against Preston North End at the weekend.
The skipper feels his new Brazilian teammate’s arrival has given the first-team a much-needed lift after the summer of uncertainty which surrounded Tyneside, and feels it will only improve if more signings join before the August 8 deadline.
“It would be nice to bring a few more in, but a lot of that stuff is out of our control,” Lascelles said.
“We’ve got a good squad. A few additions would be nice, but at the moment we’ve got to keep going.
“As a player, seeing a new player coming through the door automatically gives you a lift. You want to see what he’s about. Other players in his position are going to have step it up because you can see what he’s about.
“It’s about that belief because we haven’t really been buying a load of players over the last few years, so it’s nice we’ve bought a striker in, and hopefully he does a really good job for us.”
Newcastle seem to be closing in on a deal for OGC Nice forward Allan Saint-Maximin, after lodging an improved €18million (£16.3m) offer for the Frenchman last week. Reports across the channel have also hinted toward United having an €11million (£9.9m) bid accepted by Paris Saint-Germain for Stanley Nsoki, and are now in negotiations with the defender over personal terms.
The duo joining £40million man Joelinton in moving to the Premier League would send the club’s spending north of £60million, and Lascelles suspects the club will soon reap the rewards of the money spent on the former TSG Hoffenheim hitman.
“First impressions are that he’s a big lad, he’s fast, he’s strong and very athletic,” the skipper added.
“I’m not sure what the German league is like, and whether he’s going to have to adapt, but, personally, I think he’s going to be raring to go.
“I think the Premier League is going to suit him perfectly. This isn’t a reflection on how we’re going to be playing and how we’re going to be.
“He looks like a very good signing.”