Who could be heading towards the exit at Newcastle? And what are the areas in need of strengthening? Analysis, insight and opinion on what the Magpies need to do in the transfer market this summer...
Tuesday 31 May 2022 11:30, UK
Which positions are Newcastle targeting in the summer transfer window? What has Eddie Howe said? And what do the stats say?
Sky Sports News reporter Keith Downie:
Eddie Howe made big changes in January with five new arrivals - and expect him to make a similar foray into the market in his second transfer window in charge.
The Newcastle boss is at pains to describe the situation at the club as an "Evolution" rather than a "Revolution", but he knows exactly the areas he wants to strengthen.
Howe will bring in another goalkeeper, with Man Utd's Dean Henderson high up his wishlist.
A new central defender will also be added despite Dan Burn arriving in January and Fabian Schar signing a new deal in May. There remains a question mark over Jamaal Lascelles' long-term future at the club, and it could well be the case that the club captain leaves to accommodate a new centre-back. Newcastle attempted to buy Lille's Sven Botman and Seville's Diego Carlos in the winter window. Expect the club to target someone of similar ilk.
Newcastle fans are desperate to see Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta come to the club, but the club would have to blow the majority of their budget on one player if they were to land Bruno Guimaraes' best mate. It's more likely, however, that Howe will attempt to add at left-back and up front while sticking with the midfield he currently has at his disposal.
Hugo Ekitike came close to sealing a move to Tyneside on Deadline Day in January, but decided to stay put at Reims. Newcastle remain interested, but so too do some of the top clubs in Europe. The teenager would command a fee in the region of £30m, but could fill in both on the wing and in a central striking role so could be worth the price tag. He is the sort of young, project-signing that Howe craves.
The left-back situation is an interesting one: Newcastle have the option to make Matt Targett's Aston Villa loan a permanent one for £15m, however the club have been watching Atletico Madrid's Renan Lodi - among others - for some time and may decide to spend a bit more on a more attacking option instead.
Newcastle spent £95m in January, there could be a similar sort of outlay again if they were to add in the four or five areas outlined above.
The Magpies seem to have done most of their heavy lifting in the winter transfer window of 2022 when they spent a league-topping £93m on Bruno Guimaraes (£40m), Chris Wood (£25m), Kieran Trippier (£15m) and Dan Burn (£13m).
Since the beginning of January only Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham have more points, wins and clean sheets than Newcastle. Despite their incredible run of form, Eddie Howe will be looking to get more from his strikers.
January signing Wood has scored only one non-penalty goal in over 1,250 minutes of Premier League football. Callum Wilson, though prolific, has started 39 of the last 76 league games for the club. Neither of them have scored 15 goals in a league season - something the Magpies would desperately want from their leading marksman next term.
"I'm open-minded. It's the right player for the position. You do have to have an eye on the future.
"I don't think you can be blind to the fact that if you have a squad that's at the wrong age then you can give yourself problems one, two, three years down the line. We don't want to put ourselves in that position.
"Yes, ideally, you want experience, players that have played in the Premier League but Bruno [Guimaraes], who's none of those things, was the right signing for that position at that time. We will take it on an individual basis while acknowledging the fact the club will always have a future and we have to protect that."
Sky Sports' Laura Hunter:
Not the "revolution people expect", according to Eddie Howe. Hardly a glowing review of Newcastle's prospective transfer policy this summer, however pragmatic.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) will prohibit Newcastle from lavishly splurging in the upcoming window, despite now being one of the richest clubs in world football. They spent in excess of £90m in January alone.
It's clear that a goalkeeper is top of the wishlist, with good options in either Man Utd's Dean Henderson or Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga. There is also some dispute over attacking options - with Chris Wood yet to find his scoring boots and Callum Wilson finding both form and fitness hard to come by.
Rebuilding the squad over time and developing existing talent, as well as a couple of astute additions should provide Newcastle with enough leverage to compete at the right end of the table. Certainly nothing less than top half would be proportionate to the expenditure next season. Howe's emphasis on "smart moves" over a reckless spending spree should serve the club well in the long term, though.
