Newcastle United endured a strange 2023/24 campaign across the Premier League and Europe, with injuries ultimately preventing the Magpies from securing a return to continental football next term. Manchester City’s defeat in the FA Cup final ensured that Chelsea would take the final spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League, leaving Newcastle, who finished eighth in the table, without a place in Europe.
It’s a frustrating turn of events for Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. Without some of his key players for large chunks of the season, the former Bournemouth man must be wondering what else he can do when an end of season purple patch saw his side of the periphery of European football – including big results against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and away to Brentford, a notoriously challenging place to go and score four goals.
As much as next season is about consolidating, with the run in last year’s Champions League very much ahead of schedule in the Saudi owner’s provisional roadmap for the club, you can’t help but feel that a couple of additions to the squad would have prevented the Christmas capitulation that saw Newcastle drop significant points and fall down the table.
Reinforcements will be needed at St James Park if the Magpies want to be perennial contenders for the Champions League places in the coming years, bringing in Paul Mitchell as the club’s new sporting director.
Financial Fair Play rules mean that they can’t just go and hand pick the best talent in the world akin to a Chelsea or Manchester City in years gone by. Howe’s savvy recruitment has defined his tenure in the North East thus far, and is a big reason why his job security is what it is throughout Newcastle’s Premier League journey.
That said, Newcastle will need to balance the books, keeping star players like Anthony Gordon, Burno Guimaraes, and Alexander Isak, while remaining favourable in the odds amongst the top football betting sites in the UK. Here are some of the summer signings Newcastle have been linked with so far.
Giorgi Mamardashvili
Nick Pope’s injury concerns have come into question plenty of times throughout his Newcastle career, and a solid alternative option could be worth the investment in Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The goalkeeper impressed for Georgia in their first taste of an international tournament – reaching the round of 16 against the odds before being eliminated by Spain, and at just 23 years old, the Valencia goalkeeper has become one of the best in La Liga. He will however command a large price, especially after his heroics in the Euros, meaning Newcastle may have to spend big to bring him in.
Ousmane Diomande
After missing out on Tosin Adarabayo, with the former Fulham defender joining Chelsea, Newcastle will have to look elsewhere to bolster their centre-back options, and Ousmane Diomande could be interested in swapping Sporting Lisbon for Tyneside for the right money.
The defender is a physical specimen and was a key component for Ruben Amorim’s side as they won the Portuguese League, and at just 20 years old the Ivorian could be a great addition for the immediate future and the long-term plans of the club.
With the likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint Germain also interested, the Magpies would need to act fast to secure Diomande’s signature.
Morgan Gibbs-White
Morgan Gibbs-White could leave Nottingham Forest this summer – even if they continue to spend big and build a side that can compete in the Premier League. The versatile midfielder signed from Wolves in 2022 and became an integral component at the City Grounds, but the chance to work alongside the likes of Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali could be enough for Howe to interest the 24-year-old.
Newcastle could hijack Tottenham’s approach for the England international, with a fee of around £50 million likely to entice Forest into selling.
Newcastle sold Elliot Anderson to Forest earlier in the window for £35 million so the club have established a good relationship, however, the high fee for an inexperienced player means Forest hold all the cards when it comes to Gibbs-White departing the East Midlands. It means that the fee is likely to be higher than before and cause some headaches for Howe and the Saudi owners.
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Overall, Newcastle are well known as one of the richest clubs in the world. However, they must spend responsibly to avoid the same fate as Everton and potentially Leicester City in receiving points deductions for breaching financial rules. It will be interesting to see how they line up on the opening day.
