BIRTHDAY boy Danny Guthrie says Newcastle United must splash the cash if they are to keep challenging the Premier League’s elite.
The Magpies go into this weekend’s home clash with Stoke sitting fifth in the table, ahead of Champions League semi-finalists Chelsea and level on points with Tottenham.
United have been the top flight’s surprise package of the season, and are on the verge of qualifying to play European football next campaign.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for a side that was written off as possible relegation candidates by some last summer.
But an influx of new signings, such as Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba, have taken the league by storm and propelled Newcastle to the dizzy heights of challenging for a top-four finish.
Guthrie, however, has warned the club they can’t rest on their laurels – and says they must look to strengthen the squad again in the summer if they are to maintain their new-found success.
“We will have to build in the summer,” said the midfielder, 25 today
“Every team gets stronger in the summer, so we will have to keep up.
“If we get a top six finish then the next season is always important as you don’t want to fall below the standards you have set.”
Boss Alan Pardew has already targeted a number of players, with a new defender high on his wishlist.
He watched Ajax’s Belgian centre-half Jan Vertonghen, pictured, at the weekend, and has a long-standing interest in FC Twente’s Brazilian stopper Douglas.
Whoever comes into the club this summer will be coming into a good dressing room, insists Guthrie, who has seen how the likes of Cabaye, Ba, Papiss Demba Cisse and Sylvain Marveaux have quickly adapted to life at the club.
“There’s a good vibe around the changing room and a good spirit, as has been shown on the pitch,” added Guthrie.
“A couple of lads have come in who haven’t spoken English but they’ve been made to feel very welcome.”
Guthrie, ironically, may be one of the players who leaves the club at the end of the season.
The schemer is out of contract in the summer, and has attracted attention from the likes of Aston Villa as he ponders his future after putting talks over a new deal at St James’s Park on hold until the end of the campaign.
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