David Moyes makes ‘really tough’ Newcastle recruitment claim after Alan Shearer mocks Sunderland

The Magpies got new owners in October 2021, with PIF, Amanda Staveley and Jamie Reuben completing a £305million deal to buy Newcastle United from Mike Ashley.

Since then, everything has changed at St James’ Park. Newcastle United are a club full of ambition, aiming to go to the top of the game and upset the status quo. They have certainly done that already, having competed in the Champions League last season.

There has been a lot of investment on Tyneside, with Eddie Howe being able to splash the cash on elite players. It is rare that a transfer window goes by without a marquee signing, with this summer likely to end with a new right winger arriving.

Major names from abroad have arrived for big money, such as Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, Sven Botman and Sandro Tonali. They bought into the PIF project at Newcastle, proving that top level players are willing to move to the North East.

But that has not always been the case according to David Moyes.

David Moyes makes Newcastle and Sunderland admission

Moyes has appeared on The Rest Is Football podcast alongside Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, looking back at his career as a player and a manger.

That includes his spell as Sunderland boss, which Shearer asked him so eloquently about following the discussion about his Real Sociedad career.

“All good things have to come to an end, but why did you decide to go to the unwashed?” Shearer asked.

“I’m joking Sunderland fans! We might have to take that bit out…”

Moyes then went on to discuss his decision to move to the Stadium Of Light, before addressing the challenges he had in convincing players to move to the North East.

Moyes: “Sunderland is a great club. And Alan will know this, I don’t know if you can attract the players to the North East. It’s really tough. Now Newcastle are attracting some great players up there, but maybe that’s because if you pay well enough you get them.”

PSR is Newcastle’s real recruitment problem nowadays

In the past, it has been hard for the likes of Newcastle and Sunderland to convince certain players to move to the North East.

Fortunately for the Magpies, it is now less of an issue, given the club’s newfound wealth and renewed ambition.

In truth, the bigger issue is actually being allowed to spend. When you look at the players who have moved to St James’ Park, getting them to come to Tyneside is not the problem.

The problem is being able to afford them, with profit and sustainability rules limiting how much Premier League clubs can spend. It is a major issue this month, with Newcastle reportedly under pressure to sell someone before June 30th.

As Moyes says, Newcastle have attracted some great players in recent years, and would have attracted more if it was not for PSR. The rules are holding clubs like Newcastle back, who have the money and the ambition to progress.