Newcastle United has high hopes for the upcoming season, and their fans expect to see their side fighting for at least one trophy. After the Saudi takeover last year, the Magpies ambitions have significantly increased, and all the personnel in the club, along with the fanbase, has high demands.
So far, we haven’t seen any spectacular transfers at St James’ Park, but it doesn’t have to stay like that until the end of the summer. Following the summer business at Newcastle is almost as exciting as playing games at an online casino website at present, but what should Eddie Howe’s strategy be over the summer months?
Unlikely to Add a Big Name
Several big names have already made huge moves this summer, with Erling Haaland heading to Manchester City, and Darwin Nunez signing for Liverpool. However, it seems as though the Magpies are likely to take a more reserved stance when it comes to signings this summer, and will instead look at younger players that can develop during their stay at the club.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that Howe isn’t keen on landing a big name; he just doesn’t want to inflate the value of specific individuals at this time and draw too much attention.
Sven Botman remains on his list of targets, but the strong center-back appears to have his heart set on a switch to AC Milan. However, it looks extremely likely that they are going to land the highly coveted 19-year-old Hugo Ekitike from Reims.
Lucas Paqueta from Lyon is one more target located in Ligue 1. The 24-year-old midfielder is the heartbeat of the team from Groupama Stadium, and one of the best playmakers in Europe. His friendship with Bruno Guimaraes, who came to Newcastle earlier this year, is a big plus for the Magpies and they will be extremely formidable in midfield alongside one another.
Bayer Leverkusen’s right-winger Moussa Diaby was linked with Newcastle. Howe needs an additional player in that position, and looks set to make his move over the coming weeks. The 22-year-old played 40 games in the Bundesliga and the Europa League, scoring 17 and setting up 14 goals. He would offer something very different to the team, and would create more chances for the forward.
Keeping Costs Down
With all the superteams in England, Howe and Newcastle’s management are well aware that winning the title even with high sums of money invested would be difficult. On top of that, there are Financial Fair Play measures that must be followed.
Some sources from within the team suggest that Howe and the management don’t want to speak too much about their plans so that other rivals don’t increase the value on their targets.
Also, recently there has been a theory that the Magpies don’t want to add too many top players participating at the World Cup, speculating that most of them might be keeping themselves fresh for the tournament in Qatar. Instead, they are currently focused on other players, preparing themselves for the winter transfer window, which follows the huge competition in Qatar.
Meanwhile, the English Premier League fixtures and schedule have been revealed recently, with the Magpies opening their campaign against newly promoted Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park. The club then comes up against Brighton, Manchester City, and then Wolves.
After the opening few rounds, things will be much clearer on Newcastle’s potential and whether there is a need for additional transfers.
