Newcastle United have gone through the first four months of the Premier League season with their left-back changing almost every week.
With Paul Dummett missing since the opening day with a hamstring injury and Massadio Haidara on the sidelines too, manager Rafa Benitez has trialled Javi Manquillo, Jesus Gamez, Ciaran Clark and Chancel Mbemba in the problem position with mixed results.
If only Newcastle had been willing to put their hands their pockets during the summer transfer window then.
The Magpies were interested in signing Kieran Gibbs from Arsenal – only to be put off by his £80,000-a-week wages.
And while the average fan on the street will no doubt claim that Gibbs’ demands were a little excessive, it’s a damning indictment of the Mike Ashley reign that Newcastle were unwilling, or unable, to stump up a relatively standard pay-packet in the modern game.
Gibbs moved to West Brom instead for a fee of £8 million. And that price-tag now looks like a bargain with the 28-year-old, a ten-time England international, emerging as a bright spark in a disappointing season for The Baggies.
Gibbs even set up Hal Robson-Kanu’s opener as West Brom held Newcastle to a 2-2 draw at Hawthorns on Wednesday – just to rub salt into the wounds.
The Mirror reported earlier this week that Benitez is now considering a loan move for Manchester United’s Luke Shaw in January. But, ironically, the out-of-favour left-back is likely to command a higher weekly wage than Gibbs.
And Benitez would not need to bother had Newcastle seized their chance to bring West Brom’s top summer signing to Tyneside.