Newcastle United Transfers: The 5 Best and Worst Signings of the Last 10 Years

As Newcastle United prepare to dip into the summer transfer market once again, I thought I'd take a look back at the transfer dealings Newcastle have been involved in in recent years.

It's easy to recall some of the signings that have caught the eye over the last 10 years, but who have been the best and worst of that period? Many players have been through the ever-revolving doors at St. James' Park, and there's plenty of competition for both honours, so let's get started.

The rankings are compiled entirely out of personal opinion, as it is near impossible to categorically prove that one signing was better or worse than a number of others.

Feel free to get involved because there will be plenty of names left out!

The 5 Best

We start on a positive note, with a list of the five best signings that Newcastle have pulled off in the last 10 years.

There are a few outside contenders for this list, but after much deliberation, the final selection has been settled.

5. Joey Barton

Possibly a controversial inclusion, Joey Barton makes it into the top five best signings for Newcastle.

Signed from Manchester City at a cost of £5.8 million, Barton had his ups and downs while on Tyneside, but his on-pitch performances have earned him a place in this list.

Barton's name will forever be overshadowed by his bad-boy reputation, but when he was at St. James' Park, the former England midfielder enjoyed the best form of his career.

When Newcastle were promoted back to the Premier League in 2009/10, Barton was one of the standout players in the title-winning season and continued his form in the following top-flight campaign.

His excellent form started mumblings of a return to the England setup, although one cannot help but think his reputation went before him and the call-up never came.

Finally refusing to sign a new contract at Newcastle, Barton moved on to play for Queens Park Rangers before falling out of favour there and spending the 2012/13 season on loan at Marseille.

4. Hatem Ben Arfa

Next on the list is a man who can still be seen wowing fans at St. James' Park on a weekly basis.

Hatem Ben Arfa signed permanently for Newcastle in January 2011 for a fee of £5 million, after a successful loan spell from Marseille, and has shown plenty of his magical ability when injury-free.

His mesmeric dribbling ability and tendency to make things happen for his side make Ben Arfa one of the most valuable players at Newcastle and have provided Geordie fans with plenty of memorable moments.

A player of Ben Arfa's ability would normally cost in the region of £15 million, so for Newcastle to get him for the bargain price of £5 million sees Ben Arfa make it onto this list. 

3. Demba Ba

Arguably Newcastle's best ever free signing, Demba Ba was a hero on Tyneside when he wore the black and white stripes.

Joining after being released from West Ham when the Hammers were relegated, Ba was without the pressure of a transfer fee weighing him down. The Senegal striker wasted no time in continuing the form that bagged him seven goals in 12 games for West Ham, as he top-scored in his first season at Newcastle.

The form attracted the attentions of some of the Premier League's top clubs, and an added clause in his contract eventually allowed Ba to leave for Chelsea in a £7 million move in January 2012.

Ba ended his time at Newcastle averaging better than a goal every other game, netting 29 times for the Geordies before leaving for London.

That many goals for a free transfer was always going to get Ba into this list, and he takes the No. 3 slot. Not bad for an 18-month stay on Tyneside.

2. Fabricio Coloccini

The most expensive player to make it onto the list of best signings, Fabricio Coloccini took time to prove his £10 million price tag was not bad business.

Originally struggling with the pace and physical nature of the English Premier League, Coloccini stayed with Newcastle when they were relegated and found his bearings as the Magpies clinched promotion at the first time of asking. 

When back in the top flight, Coloccini was a colossus in defence as Newcastle roared to a fifth-place finish. The Argentina international also helped the likes of Mike Williamson and James Perch along as they partnered him in the successful season.

The summer of 2013 may see Coloccini return to Argentina as he tries to overcome homesickness, but if he leaves, Newcastle fans will certainly hold their captain in high regard as he has more than paid off his price tag.

1. Tim Krul

Taking the top spot in this list is Dutch stopper Tim Krul.

Signed as a promising teenager from ADO Den Haag for just £100,000, Krul made his Newcastle debut as far back as 2006, when a goalkeeping crisis led to the lanky 19-year-old keeping goal in a UEFA Cup game against Palermo.

Krul turned in an outstanding performance that night, and six years later—following two loan spells at Falkirk and Carlisle United—he is now Newcastle's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper.

Another of the outstanding performers in the 2011/12 season, Krul has established himself as one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier League and also claimed the jersey of his national team, displacing Maarten Stekelenburg as Dutch No. 1.

The combination of Krul's immense talent and tiny price tag is enough to see him earn top spot on this list.

The 5 Worst

Plenty of contenders for this half of the list!

The Magpies have had more than their fair share of transfers that have gone wrong, so there was fierce competition for this list.

Feel free to suggest flops that have missed the cut, I'm sure there will be many!

5. Damien Duff

Once one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premier League, Damien Duff's career went downhill when he joined Newcastle from Chelsea for £5 million in the summer of 2006.

When plying his trade at Stamford Bridge, Duff was still a hugely talented player but was frustrated by lack of first-team action.

So the move to Newcastle looked like a winner for all involved, but it didn't prove to be the case. 

Duff seemed to lose his electrifying pace and his final ball was also lacking, making him ineffective on Newcastle's wing for the duration of his poor stay on Tyneside.

At the end of the 2009/10 season, Duff inadvertently deflected Gareth Barry's shot past Steve Harper as Newcastle were relegated on the final day of the season. Sadly, that is still the one moment that Geordie fans remember most vividly about Duff's stay in the North East.

Duff then said he'd stay with Newcastle as they attempted to return to the top flight, but promptly left after one game to join Fulham, where he still plays now.

That act cements him in this list, albeit at No. 5.

4. Albert Luque

A £9.5 million signing from Deportivo La Coruna, Albert Luque never lived up to his price tag.

Despite netting in the 4-1 demolition of local rivals Sunderland, the Spanish striker/winger never had the physical or mental skill to cope with the demands of the Premier League.

He clearly had quality, as proved by his price tag, but the move to Newcastle signalled the start of his demise. 

A short spell at Ajax culminated in a row with a certain Luis Suarez, and finally Luque headed back to Spain and ended his career where he made his name, Malaga.

The Spaniard's measly sum of 21 appearances for Newcastle earn him a place in this list, although he would have been further up (or should that be down?) if he hadn't netted his only goal in England against Sunderland.

3. Titus Bramble

Arguably the worst defender ever to pull on a Newcastle United shirt, Bramble was a calamity at the back for Newcastle. 

Bought by the legendary Sir Bobby Robson as a physically talented 19-year-old, Titus Bramble had the prowess to be a useful defender. Unfortunately, he didn't have the talent to back it up.

Bramble spent five years on Tyneside, making countless mistakes in the process, before finally moving on to play for Wigan.

After leaving the DW Stadium in 2010, Bramble joined Sunderland, and with the reputation Bramble built during his time at St. James' Park, Newcastle fans were hardly worried when their former man pulled on the red and white shirt.

When Bramble got sent off in Newcastle's 5-1 thrashing of their rivals, it was just reward for one of the poorest signings of the last 10 years.

2. Jean-Alain Boumsong

The only thing putting Jean-Alain Boumsong higher on this list than Titus Bramble is the massive transfer fee that went with the Frenchman's move from Rangers. 

Graeme Souness forked out £8 million for Boumsong, just months after he was available on a free transfer, a move which baffled many.

What made it even more strange was Boumsong's almost total lack of ability. Despite being quick and strong, Boumsong made numerous errors and cost his team goals at vital times. 

To make things worse, he regularly partnered Bramble at the heart of Newcastle's defence in 2005.

Boumsong was shipped out after one season in a Newcastle shirt, somehow negotiating a move to Italian giants Juventus, before moving on to Lyon and Panathinaikos, where he remains today.

1. Michael Owen

And so, we reach the pinnacle of the worst transfers, Michael Owen.

The injury-prone striker arrived in a blaze of glory as he joined from Real Madrid in a club record £17 million deal and was meant to form an unstoppable partnership with Alan Shearer.

However, despite netting 26 times for Newcastle, Owen spent far too much time on the treatment table. Suffering regularly from hamstring and thigh injuries, it was clear Owen was not the player he once was.

The former England striker made only 71 appearances in his four-year stay at Newcastle, before running down his contract and leaving Tyneside on a free.

The reason behind Owen topping this list is his attitude to life in a Newcastle shirt. He never seemed bothered about the numerous games he missed and spent increasing amounts of time looking after his beloved racing horses in Cheshire.

When he finally left for Manchester United, there weren't too many Newcastle fans who were upset to see him leave. 

Even when Owen won a league title with his new side despite warming the bench for most of the season, the reputation he once enjoyed was tarnished, at least on Tyneside.

Conclusion

So, as Alan Pardew prepares his plans for the summer, he'll be hoping to avoid any of the flops that have marked the second half of this list. 

However, if he pulls off one or two of the quality of those in the first half, Newcastle fans may have renewed hope heading into the 2013/14 season.

Feel free to comment with more suggestions on who should have made it into the list, or hit me up on Twitter @91Marley.