The EPL offseason has been a busy and challenging summer for some teams, with teams being forced to release some players and missing out on others. On the flip side, many teams have made new sign-ins that are expected to help them with the upcoming 2024/25 EPL season.
Football fans and punters are ready for the upcoming season after being left almost orphaned during the offseason. Many of them have been taking on new hobbies such as gaming in online casino uk in order to kill the boredom.
However, this coming season is proving to be an exciting one.
Newcastle’s manager, Eddie Howe, has said that his team needs additions this summer even after completing the contract to release Elliot Anderson to Nottingham and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton.
Currently, the Magpies have already made four new signings: defenders Lewis Hall and Lloyd Kelly and goalkeepers John Ruddy and Odysseas Vlachomidos. However, Howe says that he needs to see more arrivals.
When talking to Sky Sports News, Howe said that the team has a hangover of injuries from last year, where Joe Willock, Matt Targett and Tino Livramento are still not yet fully training with the team.
However, even as the squad heads to pre-season, there are a number of players who have been showing a good game that might guarantee the Magpies a good position in the league next season.
Anthony Gordon
The 23-year-old Englishman has been a menace in the EPL last season. Bagging 12 goals and 12 assists for the Magpies last season, Gordon has become the talk of town.
According to TEAMtalk, Gordon will remain at St James’ Park this summer even as other teams like Manchester City are keeping tabs on him. Anthony Gordon moved to Newcastle in January 2023 in a £45m deal.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is not ready to let go of this England international this summer, as he plans on ensuring that his squad stays strong. Gordon has been called in to play for England in the Euros, and it is not hard to tell why.
Nick Pope
It is not a secret that Newcastle is happy to see Nick Pope return to the squad after being out on injury. Pope dislocated his shoulder in the game against Manchester United, where they beat the Red Devils 1-0.
The weeks after Pope went out for injury saw the Magpies play for eight weeks with three wins and eight defeats. The number two, Martin Dubravka, did a good job keeping two clean sheets away from Fulham and Sunderland.
It is safe to say that the performance of Nick Pope has been nothing short of extraordinary since arriving at St James Park in the summer of 2022. However, Eddie Howe said that Pope has to earn his way back to the team after the injury, meaning that he will need to work twice as hard to show that he still has it.
Noni Madueke
Even though not yet part of the team (as of 26th July), sources have established that the Chelsea right-winger and Newcastle are almost closing the deal. The Magpies are in dire need of a top-class right winger since the performance of Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy failed to impress in the 2023-24 season.
Madueke scored five goals and registered two assists in 23 Premier League Appearances despite only averaging 47 minutes per performance. Madueke has improved his form since joining Chelsea in January 2023, being termed as “unbelievable” by former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Sean Longstaff
The 26-year-old Englishman has proved to be a great midfielder for the club. Having made 35 appearances in the 2023-24 season, the central midfielder managed to bag six goals.
Sean is currently valued at €25.00 and is ranked 10th among all the Newcastle players.
Jacob Murphy
Jacob is another player who has been making headlines on the Newcastle team. In the 2023-24 season, Murphy managed to make seven assists and three goals with only 21 appearances the whole season.
The 29-year-old is a right-winger for the team. He has been playing in the team since the summer of 2017, citing that Newcastle United was his boyhood team.
Murphy returned to Newcastle in the summer of 2021 after being away on loan at West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield.
Fabian Lukas Schär
Fabian Lukas Schär is a Swiss player who plays centre-back for the team. He is well known for his powerful free kicks, long shots and long passes.
The 32-year-old has been with the team since the summer of 2018 and has helped the team win countless matches. The 2023-24 season saw him close the season with eight clean sheets and four goals.
Final Thoughts
Newcastle finished at number 7 in the previous season and is aiming to do something better in the upcoming season. Eddie Howe believes that he has a great team but could use some bit of upgrading, especially on the right wing.
Although the team has released some of the favourites, they still have a chance to have a good season, even as EPL teams head to the pre-season. The new signings are also expected to make a huge difference in the team.
