It's safe to say, that before the takeover by the Saudi PIF, Newcastle United made some bizarre signings, with many of the arrivals failing to make an impact at St James' Park.
Joselu, Jack Colback and Matz Sels all arrived on Tyneside during the darker years for the Magpies, with the trio failing to add anything to the squad – with Colback in particular subject to scrutiny after joining the club from arch-rivals Sunderland.
The midfielder went on to make over 100 appearances for the Magpies, with Joselu and Sels finding game time harder to come by. None of the aforementioned players remain at St James', with the club doing a good job of clearing the deadwood in recent years.
However, one signing made by Steve Bruce is somehow still on the books with the club needing to brutally part ways with him this summer after a horrid time in recent seasons.
Jeff Hendrick's stats at Newcastle United
After joining on a free transfer during the summer of 2020, midfielder Jeff Hendrick raised some eyebrows with the former Burnley man a surprise signing, to say the least.
The Republic of Ireland international penned a four-year deal on Tyneside, in a move that would be an absolute disaster for the player and the club.
However, he looked to be an astute piece of business after scoring and assisting on his debut in the 2-0 win against West Ham United, but that would be as good as it got for the former Derby County talent.
Hendrick would make 22 Premier League appearances in his first campaign for the Magpies, before rapidly falling down the pecking order after the takeover.
He would only make three league appearances during the first half of the 2021/22 season, before being shipped out on loan to Queens Park Rangers in the Championship.
After failing to make an impact at Loftus Road, he's rapidly declined, suffering relegation to League One with Reading last season, before being excluded from Sheffield Wednesday's 27-man squad and not featuring for the Owls since the 2nd of December, before being re-added ahead of their final eight Championship games.
Jeff Hendrick's market value in 2024
Although he joined Bruce's side as a free agent, the 32-year-old had a market value of around £7.6m when he arrived at St James', with his value significantly dropping over the past couple of years.
October 2020
£7.6m
June 2021
£7.6m
May 2022
£4.2m
June 2023
£1.2m
March 2024
£600k
His rapid decline has seen his value drop 92% in just under four years, with Hendrick now worth 31x less than current Newcastle star Lewis Miley, with the 17-year-old currently worth £18.8m – as per Transfermarkt.
Hendrick also earns a staggering £40k-per-week, with the midfielder bleeding the club dry having earned over £4m since he last played a game for the Magpies.
With his contract expiring this summer, it's about time the club parted ways with the 32-year-old with both parties needing to forget about what has been a complete disaster.
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