10 Players Who Could Be Axed For Newcastle's Summer Recruits

8. Siem De Jong

Siem de Jong was brought to Tyneside after leading Ajax to the league title in Holland last summer and was expected to line up in the pocket behind the main forward. However, after only four appearances in the Premier League in 2014-15, it's clear that his body is susceptible to some of the same complaints that he had at Ajax (including, worryingly, another collapsed lung, which he previously had suffered in Amsterdam). At £14.5 million, Georginio Wijnaldum does not appear to be just an insurance policy, so there is pressure for De Jong to get a streak of games under his belt if he is not to fall down the pecking order at the club. De Jong also has a the problem that, whereas Wijnaldum has the versatility to play on either wing as well as in the No 10 role and as a box-to-box midfielder, the former Ajax man can only really operate centrally, restricting the potential avenues McClaren could decide to go down. It will be very interesting to see how the new boss sets the team up and how De Jong fits into, though his pre-season appearances indicate that he might not have too much to worry about. However, McClaren must also be anxious to see him stay healthy.