Are you missing club football already? There’s plenty to keep fans occupied over the summer, with major international tournaments taking place only a few weeks before the Olympic Games, held in Paris. However, when you’re not distracting yourself by looking at the Euro 2024 odds, it’s natural to miss the hustle and bustle that comes with life as a Newcastle supporter. Luckily for you, the transfer season is back, and this one offers more intrigue than that of previous editions.
Although Newcastle are theoretically one of the world’s richest clubs, they’re bound by certain rules and regulations that mean the likelihood is that they will have to sell a star player before they can strengthen the squad. It’s not something that will fill fans with glee, but it’s a necessary evil to avoid suffering points deductions, as Everton and Nottingham Forest did last season. In this article, you can read more about what the transfer season might look like for Newcastle this summer.
What are these restricting rules?
Unfortunately, we have to get the boring bit out of the way first before we can crack into the transfer talk. It’s essential really, as you can’t understand the transfer targets without first understanding the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). If that acronym reads unfamiliar, it may be because it was previously known as Financial Fair Play (FFP). Regardless of the name, the meaning hasn’t changed. The rule is active to ensure financial stability and fair competition among clubs.
In accordance with PSR, Premier League clubs can only lose a maximum of £105 million across three seasons. We could break down that figure further, but for the sake of brevity and maintaining a bit of transfer fever momentum, we’ll leave it there. What you need to know is that clubs breaching this rule can face points deductions, as we saw last season. No Newcastle fan wants that for the club, so while the rule is working as it presently does, there may be a need to sell.
Which Newcastle players may leave the club?
You may have noticed a lot of speculation about Newcastle considering selling Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes. The reason for this is that there’s no doubt that both players would fetch huge fees. They’ve proved their mettle in English football and are key players for the Magpies, with Isak scoring 25 goals in all competitions. Arsenal are said to be sniffing around him, with a £100 million price tag allegedly being floated. Guimaraes wouldn’t be much cheaper. Manchester City are his keenest suitors.
Yet, Eddie Howe obviously doesn’t want to sell either star – and he may not have to. The hope for Howe and fans is that Newcastle can raise the required funds by selling off squad players whose absence would cause less of a disruption to squad-building.
Which players is Eddie Howe hoping to sign?
Okay, now we’re on to the good stuff. Apologies for making you wait so long – now you’ve experienced a modicum of the frustration of Howe in the transfer market. And the summer window didn’t get off to the most satisfying of starts. Tosin Adarabioyo, a stand-out performer in Fulham’s backline, was a target for multiple Premier League clubs aware of his contract winding down. The Magpies were vying for his signature but were ultimately pipped to the post by Chelsea and their new boss Enzo Maresca.
Nick Pope is a key man when fit, but the problem is his recent injury record. The England international spent most of last season on the sidelines after a nasty shoulder injury. Consequently, Howe is considering recruiting an understudy who could act as legitimate competition for the returning Pope. One name consistently popping up is Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgian giant has been hugely impressive for Valencia in La Liga. Standing at a towering 6 ft 6 in, he’s been an ever-present in the first team for them since arriving in 2021, so much so that he broke the record for consecutive appearances as a starter for Valencia in La Liga, with 60.
Convincing Valencia to part with Mamardashvili won’t be cheap. After all, this is the man who played a crucial role in helping Georgia make it to Euro 2024. If they get results there, expect him to play his part. The Daily Mirror suggests that £35m would be required to tempt Valencia to part with their star keeper. Alternatively, the Magpies may consider swooping in to sign James Trafford from Burnley. The Clarets didn’t have the best season (obviously, as they got relegated), but Trafford still shone. Burnley paid £15 million for Trafford last year, so it will be interesting to see how high their asking price could go.
Beyond that, it’s hard to know who else Newcastle might bring in this summer. There are rumours about the club targeting another attacking player, with Jarrod Bowen of West Ham and Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton linked. However, as Howe has previously stated, it’s hard to know how clubs will act in this transfer window after a quiet January. Most clubs in the league are also going through the same cautious PSR process as the Magpies. Ultimately, retaining the core of the squad will be a good window. Plus, the returning Sandro Tonali will feel like a new signing when he gets back on the pitch.
Previous transfer highlights
All that isn’t to say that we won’t be pleased come the end of the window. The Toon Army have a wonderful way of elating fans with star signings, many of whom are still in the squad. The fact of the matter is that nine of the ten most expensive transfers in Newcastle’s history took place in the last five years – and every one of those players is still in the squad.
The likelihood is that when the gaffer adds to his squad this summer, it won’t cost an arm and a leg. A shrewd free transfer here or a clever loan deal there. And that’s fine because this squad is primed to challenge for the Champions League places again next season. With Tonali returning and Anthony Gordon growing into his role in the team, there is a lot to be excited about. The main thing is to get behind the players who are in the team now and to give the manager support when the mags go marching in.
