McClaren Offers Uninspiring Assessment Of Newcastle Squad - Highlighting Need For Recruits

"We have what we have" - that is the uninspiring assessment of the current shape of the Newcastle United squad, delivered by none other than the head coach. Despite the £14.5 million signing of midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, the £12.3 million acquisition of forward Aleksandar Mitrovic and the likely £7.5 million addition of defender Chancel Mbemba, Steve McClaren clearly wants further incomings this summer. In fairness McClaren did describe his squad as "good" but the obvious undertones of his first statement are that more signings are a necessity if Newcastle are going to compete for a top-eight position in 2015-16. At the beginning of the summer the remit was to sign at least six players - including two defenders, two forwards, a winger and a midfielder - and it looks like the Magpies are just about halfway there, but McClaren. Quoted in the Shields Gazette, McClaren said about his squad:

"We have what we have. "It's a good squad. Now we go to Portland. It'll be a tough game. I'm so pleased with the two games. "You can see the attitude is very good."

Newcastle laboured to victories over Gateshead and Sacramento Republic in pre-season and lost to Mexican Liga MX side Club Atlas, seemingly proving to McClaren that more quality is still needed. Let's hope that, come the end of August, McClaren can deliver a far more inspiring assessment of his Magpies squad than: "We have what we have"... For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.