Newcastle must regret deal for £15m flop who’s now worth millions less

Newcastle United certainly endured some dark days under the ownership of Mike Ashley, with the Magpies even dropping into the Championship on various occasions during his reign.

The 60-year-old often came under fire for his lack of investment into the playing squad at St James’ Park, which arguably resulted in their relegation to England’s second tier back in the 2015/16 Premier League season.

Whilst they secured an immediate return under Rafa Benitez, Ashley was still a target for the supporters, often venting their frustrations with numerous protests about his ownership on Tyneside.

He would eventually sell the club in October 2021, ending his 14-year spell at the helm of the Magpies, with the Saudi PIF completing a deal to acquire the club.

However, one of his final transfer windows as owner would see him stick to his transfer strategy – often targeting cheaper alternatives – another move that upset supporters.

Newcastle’s transfer window in the summer of 2020

During the summer of 2020, Newcastle would make five new signings, three of which were free transfers, costing Ashley absolutely nothing apart from their wages.

Jeff Hendrick, Ryan Fraser and Mark Gillespie all moved to Tyneside during the aforementioned window, looking to build on the 13th-placed league finish from the season prior.

The trio were joined by Callum Wilson and Jamal Lewis, the pair costing Magpies boss Steve Bruce around £20m and £15m from Bournemouth and Norwich City, respectively.

Both were seen as impressive additions, which would provide needed quality in two areas that have been a problem for various managers over the years.

However, whilst the deal for Wilson was a roaring success, with the Englishman scoring 48 times in 108 appearances since his move, the big-money signing of Lewis was a failure, to say the least.

The Northern Ireland international has only made 36 appearances for Newcastle since his move over four years ago, with his last game coming at the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

He’s since been on loan at Championship side Watford, before making a surprising move to join Brazilian side São Paulo on a temporary basis until June 2025 – the same month his deal expires at St James’ Park.

Jamal Lewis’ market value in 2024

As a result of his lack of impact on Tyneside since his move four years ago, the left-back has seen his market value plummet, with his transfer looking a huge waste of money as the months pass by.

His £15m transfer fee was expensive enough, especially considering it came during the Ashley era, but given his lowly appearance tally, he’s cost the club £416k every time he’s played a game for them.

Undoubtedly, given his lack of first-team action in the North East, the hierarchy would’ve wanted to move him on permanently during the recent summer window, but his move to Brazil still allows him to gain valuable game time.

It hasn’t appeared to have had a positive impact on his market value as of yet, with Lewis now only valued at £1m as per Football Transfers – a drop of £3.5m for each season he’s spent contracted to Newcastle.

With his contract set to expire in less than 12 months, it’s almost certain that the 26-year-old will finally be departing Tyneside as a free agent – allowing him to resurrect his once-promising career.

However, unfortunately, his move hasn’t worked out as either party would’ve anticipated, leaving many with regret over spending such a hefty sum on a player who simply hasn’t lived up to expectations.

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