Newcastle’s transfer priorities and the five players fighting for their futures ...Middle East

Eddie Howe stands on the verge of history.

If Newcastle United manage to vault the final three hurdles of a marathon Premier League season to clinch Champions League football, it will be arguably the club’s greatest campaign since winning the title in 1924.

A domestic trophy secured alongside a place in Europe’s elite competition? That suggests Newcastle are indeed a coming force in English football.

But appearances can sometimes be deceptive. Winning the Carabao Cup and returning to European football’s top table for the second time in three seasons would be an epic achievement but it should not kid anyone about the sheer scale of the summer restructure required on Tyneside to make this kind of season the norm at St James’ Park.

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There is, in the blunt words of one insider this week, still “a hell of a lot of work to be done to get where we want to be”.

The hard work starts as soon as the mini-transfer window opens on 1 June.

Newcastle are understood to want “at least” three first-team ready players this summer and plan to do more player trading to enable them to sign “one or two” more. The intention is to strike quickly in the close season. In truth, they need to.

Because while it has been a brilliant season, it has not been an easy one. Tension and frayed power lines in the boardroom, putting players whose heads had been turned back on the right path and a lack of reinforcements in the transfer market have meant Howe has had to be tactically sharper and a more adroit man manager than at any point in his coaching career.

Newcastle have benefited from having a manager they believe is in the “elite” category, but sooner or later, relying on a managerial alchemist to over-achieve year in, year out becomes unsustainable.

The good news is that the Newcastle hierarchy seem – to those aware of the summer plans, at least – to have heeded that message. Plans to re-stock the squad in key positions are understood to be “well underway”, with Newcastle hoping to take advantage of several clubs who are tottering close to limit of their allowed losses under the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

Given the opaque nature of the financial fair play rules it’s not in the public domain which clubs are potentially in trouble, but football finance experts consulted by The i Paper believe Chelsea and Aston Villa are two of those who could be close to their limit.

Intriguingly, Newcastle hold a long-term interest in Villa’s Jacob Ramsey, although that’s the kind of deal that would surely be fiendishly difficult to broker with a rival for the Champions League.

Newcastle’s priorities also probably lie elsewhere and are no secret: they want a centre-back, a right winger and a striker to rival Alexander Isak, who is not for sale this summer.

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But there’s two plans being worked on – one that they can press the button on if they finish in the top five and another where they have to skip top targets who have made playing in the Champions League non-negotiable.

The restructure will be a delicate tightrope to walk for director of football Paul Mitchell, whose most visible deals so far have been brokering deals for project players like 18-year-old winger Antonio Cordero, who will complete the formalities of his move from Malaga early next month.

For his next trick Mitchell must work closely with Howe, who retains the final say on deals. “Alignment” is the buzzword behind the scenes – and there was agreement on the policy on sales and contract renewals in January – but how that plays out when the club are trying to secure key signings will be fascinating.

The Newcastle players fighting for their futures

Callum Wilson

There have been warm words behind-the-scenes towards Wilson but it’s difficult to see him returning next season, especially when most of those out of contract have already been handed new deals.

Sean Longstaff

Contract extension was triggered earlier in the season but he wants more first-team football, having barely figured of late.

Nick Pope

A strange one given he is firmly Newcastle’s No 1. But interest in James Trafford suggests Howe is looking at other options.

Jacob Murphy

Given his nature, he’d want to be included in this list. Truth is Newcastle want a right winger – as they have done for two years – but Murphy, targeting England honours, will be a big part of next season’s squad.

Kieran Trippier

Future is still not certain but that’s probably down to the player as much as anything. Eddie Howe is desperate to keep him at St James’ Park.

Much of the recruitment discussion so far has centred on how Newcastle build a squad capable of handling the rigours of a European campaign better than they did in 2023, when an injury crisis derailed their domestic form as they exited the Champions League at the group stages.

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Having a deeper squad – as well as lowering the average age of the group – are both understood to be driving forces behind the squad overhaul.

There is also the thorny issue of who goes, with several players facing uncertain futures. Callum Wilson has been given the end of the season to earn a new contract, but time appears to be running out for him in an injury-hit campaign. There’s been no formal decision yet but no talks on a contract would suggest his time is up.

Sean Longstaff’s limited involvement – alongside interest from Premier League rivals like Leeds and Everton – suggests he too may be available, while Newcastle’s continued interest in Burnley’s James Trafford hints at Howe yearning for an upgrade or competition for Nick Pope.

Howe has always been cautious about uprooting the foundations of a squad who have served him well. But all the indications are that big changes are coming this summer.

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