Adding a quality striker this summer is thought to be Newcastle’s number one priority. According to Mark Douglas of inews, that is most definitely the case.
Newcastle have at times lacked a significant threat upfront in Callum Wilson’s absence. While Chris Wood has contributed significantly to the recent surge up the table, he has found the back of the net just twice in 15 appearances.
Adding another consistent source of goals would significantly upgrade this squad. Along with a few other quality additions, that should help propel Newcastle into a top ten contender or even higher next season.
That appears to be the plan – to add quality over quantity. The net outlay could be significantly less than what was spent in January when five players were brought in for around £90m as there will have to be players offloaded which could bring in some money.
Newcastle did not make enough room for the new signings as Isaac Hayden, Jamal Lewis, and Ciaran Clark remain at the club but are not part of the 25-man squad. Loan moves were found for Jeff Hendrick (QPR) and Freddie Woodman (Bournemouth).
Douglas is reporting that Hayden, Clark, Dwight Gayle, Karl Darlow, and Matt Ritchie will be made available this summer. Even if successful on these five, Newcastle will still need to find more room to avoid having a surplus.
Newcastle will reportedly listen to offers for Miguel Almiron and captain Jamaal Lascelles. Howe may prefer to keep them on board as he seems to really like both players. Though they may not get the amount of playing time they might desire next season.
There are also the senior players away on loan to consider. Hendrick and Woodman may not be in Howe’s plans for next season. Matty Longstaff recently turned 22 and another loan spell may be the best option for the local lad.
183 comments so far
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:20 PM
Comment #1Adam
It’s a no from me for the likes of Tarkowski.
Silva is just an example of what I’m trying to say when talking about age and experience.
CLINT FLICK
May 3, 2022 at 1:20 PM
Comment #2.
CLINT FLICK
May 3, 2022 at 1:21 PM
Comment #3What is completely on our side now, is…we have in Eddie and crew, proper coaches in place that can improve players, take them to next level, build good youngsters into top players and finish already good players.
That’s something we haven’t had for years.
So i see some being brought in where people think…huh? Then the coaching does the rest.
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:21 PM
Comment #4GTFO Clint 😉
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:21 PM
Comment #5Raj
I know what you are saying but Lascelles won’t not be a starter.
Plenty of young CB’s we have been linked to who would be amazing and I hope we bring one in.
I hope we see a good few U23s added as well.
I do think we need an established top CB who would come in and we’d instantly all say he is the best we have and backed up by a young top defender.
CLINT FLICK
May 3, 2022 at 1:24 PM
Comment #6🙂
DrGloom
May 3, 2022 at 1:26 PM
Comment #7Wonder what we’ll do with Kell Watts and Elliot Anderson next season – seems pointless forever loaning them out they’re 23 and 20 this year
DrGloom
May 3, 2022 at 1:27 PM
Comment #8Tarkowski doesn’t seem any better than Lascelles imo
Romford mag
May 3, 2022 at 1:28 PM
Comment #9DrG
Re. Anderson and Watts
Hopefully give them a go during preseason
Adamn_92
May 3, 2022 at 1:30 PM
Comment #10Tarkowski is a big no from me too. I was using him as an example as well, trying to show that it really does depend on what ‘older players’ you bring in. Silva level, absolutely. No issue there. Tarkowski level? Don’t see any value or sense in that. So if you’re going to bring in older players, they have to be high quality and not just squad players like Lingard or Tarkowski type players. As we already have older players here who can help new recruits bed in and have experience of the league and club. Shelvey, Lascelles (if they both stay), Schar, Burn, Trippier, Dubs and a few others who I think will leave but not guarantee’d.
Even Neil’s article above shows how tricky offloading players and making space could be next season. So imagine a fair few of our older players will maybe be staying for at least another year.
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:31 PM
Comment #11Shame as I don’t see Watts making it here now with the new direction we are headed in but there is a big preseason coming for the pair of them.
Bills Son Is Back
May 3, 2022 at 1:33 PM
Comment #12If you are good enough, you aren’t too old 🙂
Alex Ferguson signed plenty of players of 30+, especially CB’s, in Man U’s hey days.
Even if you just get one top performing season from them that could be the difference between winning a trophy or not. Kilcline was a classic example in Keegan’s day and Beardsley was no spring chicken when he came back, neither was Keegan or Terry Mac.
Look at the effect Tripps has had in the dressing room, I would be happy if we signed another one or two of his age, quality, experience and winning mentality.
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:33 PM
Comment #13Time will tell on outgoings
No doubt a few who are probably surplus are still around after the window closes.
A good few of them might want to move on as they know they have no future at the club.
Exciting nonetheless to see all the changes to come
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:34 PM
Comment #14Bills
Well said mate and how I see it.
Adamn_92
May 3, 2022 at 1:35 PM
Comment #15Bills
As I said to Mund, don’t think anyone would have an issue with another 2 or 3 Trippier level signings. If we got 2 or 3 world class players then no issue.
It’s if players linked like Tarkowski and Lingard are signed that I don’t see the point in adding their ages to an already old squad.
Raj of Hailsley
May 3, 2022 at 1:36 PM
Comment #16Bill’s,
I know where you’re coming from there, it’s self explanatory. But we already have a seriously ageing set of CB’s. If room in the squad is to be made for incoming then surely we need to bring in youth, unless of course they’re going to concentrate on players that don’t have to be named.
Bills Son Is Back
May 3, 2022 at 1:37 PM
Comment #17I’m not saying sign Tarkowski…
But I bet Dan Burn would have been “a big no” especially if Bruce had been interested in him.
Players should be bought to fit into the way the manager and coaches want the team to play, not just signing stand out players in each position. That’s been Man U’s problem, and Everton’s over the past few years.
If Eddie thinks Tarkowski fits his system and complements the balance of the CB’s that’ll do for me.
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:40 PM
Comment #18Ageing defenders who are not good enough tho Raj
BDB, Schar and Lascelles will no doubt be the only survivors.
We need quality and at this point we shouldn’t be concerned about age
Adamn_92
May 3, 2022 at 1:42 PM
Comment #19Bills
Yeah I see your point and of course trust Howe’s judgement. It’s just that I don’t see us managing to offload all our old ‘deadwood’ players in the summer. So adding more older players to that would just repeat the same problem next summer. Struggling to offload old players again. I’m sure we could sign 1 or 2 players aged 30+ who could be amazing for next season or a couple. But it’s just my opinion that adding to an already old squad could lead to more problems down the line.
If we don’t sell half the old players we have now, add a couple more to it, we just have the same problem next summer. Think we need to move away from that problem.
Bills Son Is Back
May 3, 2022 at 1:42 PM
Comment #20Jail,
I’m not just talking about CB’s, I’m talking about mids10’s and strikers as well.
In principle…
I couldn’t give a to$$ if we win a trophy with a whole team of 30+ players.
That won’t be the case, but some top players actually get better in their 30’s…
Benzema being the classic example currently.
Adamn_92
May 3, 2022 at 1:45 PM
Comment #21I’m sure the team will change a massive amount over the next few windows, I just want to see us get away from always worrying about getting rid of our aging players. I’d like to see that start now ideally.
After all this we’ll probably go and sell all our aging ‘not needed’ players in the summer now 😀
CLINT FLICK
May 3, 2022 at 1:46 PM
Comment #22Aye
Age should be no bar on who comes in. System and horses for courses is everything.
Willingness to learn, fit, wait…all the stuff Eddie wants and a team needs.
Raj of Hailsley
May 3, 2022 at 1:47 PM
Comment #23Mund,
I know, that’s why we should use their offloading to bring the age of the squad.
Bill’s, you might not give a to$$ about that but it is not sustainable, how well do you expect that full team of 30+ year olds to do the season after. This is not some one season wonder project we’re building here. That Botman seems to be the ideal target we should be going for.
CLINT FLICK
May 3, 2022 at 1:48 PM
Comment #24I bet Eddie’s added a few quid to some of our players value.
DrGloom
May 3, 2022 at 1:49 PM
Comment #25Bills – agreed, if you’re good enough then age ( old or young ) doesn’t come into it – older players we sign will have at least two or three years of EPL football left in them and we can replace them over time – no need to throw out the bath with the bathwater
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:49 PM
Comment #26Raj
Like I said to Adam I’m not talking about having a full team of ageing players but if we can bring in a couple of brilliant quality and experience like the likes of Trippier we will be better for it.
Defo build for the future tho
Mund
May 3, 2022 at 1:50 PM
Comment #27Gloom
I’d like to see someone try and do that 😉
Pottsclock
May 3, 2022 at 1:51 PM
Comment #28I wonder how many of the players that we offload will be tempted to join WBA in the Championship under Bruce. I expect none given the difference they will have seen between Bruce and Howe.
Adamn_92
May 3, 2022 at 1:58 PM
Comment #29I think maybe the message/point is getting a little muddled up now.
If we were to offload the majority of our aging players that we would like to see move on, bring in 2 or 3 Trippier level players of similar age, then nobody would mind. We’ve brought the average age down and signed some great players, no issue. We also don’t have as big of an issue next summer to try and move on a lot of aging players on decent wages.
The issue is however, if we only offload say 3 or 4 of those old players this summer, then went and signed another 2 or 3 older players, we then are just adding to the problem. Next summer rolls around and we again struggle to move on the existing old players (now a year older) who we couldn’t sell this summer, as well as new older players we may struggle to move on.
By moving away from older players just for a window or 2, it would allow us to clear out the older ‘deadwood’ and then get rid of a repeating problem. We would then have a younger squad who when time comes to upgrade, are likely to be far easier to move on.
As always, need to state just my opinion haha but just feel like moving away from signing players 30+ for a season at least, will make life far easier moving forward.
Zele
May 3, 2022 at 1:59 PM
Comment #30First priority must be a centre forward. Wood doesn’t score enough and Wilson isn’t fit or available enough.
Second priority is a young centre back as the current crop are ageing.
Third priority is a defensive midfielder as replacement / understudy for Shelvey.
Fourth priority is a keeper as replacement / understudy for Dubravka.
Decisions are required on Watts, Anderson and Matty. Have they done enough to join the first team squad ? Can Eddie make Lewis a real left back ?
The obvious players who haven’t featured much or at all will be sold.
Assassins Inc
May 3, 2022 at 2:01 PM
Comment #31Good reports on Anderson and Watts, we may not need to get another center back as Watts could fit the bill for what Eddie wants and at 6ft 4 and being left footed he could be ideal partner with burns and honestly it would be fantastic to have a quality player come through the academy.
Now for Elliot, I watched some of his highlights this year and this kid had a good sense of what an attacking midfielder needs, he see’s the game, knows when to push, knows when to pass and knows where the net is, once again why not give Elliot equal footing with watts.
For myself this free’s up some money for what I feel is a need, two strikers not one, goalie.
Bills Son Is Back
May 3, 2022 at 2:01 PM
Comment #32Jail
You are missing the point completely.
I’m not saying we should have a team of 30+ players.
Merely making the point that I couldn’t give a to$$ in principle about the average age of the squad if we win a trophy.
I’ve waited 68 years to see us win a domestic trophy and 53 years to see us win another trophy after the Fairs Cup in 1969.
And you think I’m bothered if we win one with a team of 30+ year olds?
DrGloom
May 3, 2022 at 2:02 PM
Comment #33Mund – I’m presuming they already threw the baby out for being too young 😀
clinath@ed
May 3, 2022 at 2:04 PM
Comment #34Most good, 30+ players were good 25+ players. I’d rather pick them up at 25 and have 5 years growing with them.
Zele
May 3, 2022 at 2:05 PM
Comment #35Bills,
Milner and Henderson are not spring chickens, they did okay against us given their age.
What’s required is a balance.
CLINT FLICK
May 3, 2022 at 2:07 PM
Comment #36Whoever we have up top is only as good as the service to them.
There’s the goals for problem.
Adamn_92
May 3, 2022 at 2:08 PM
Comment #37Just want to point out that i’m also not suggesting we should have a squad purely just of 18-25 year olds. Not at all. Just that the squad right now is very old that adding to it doesn’t seem wise to me. Balance is fine but we are very unbalanced right now and think it’ll take more than one window to sort out. So think it’s wise to start moving away from that problem now.
clinath@ed
May 3, 2022 at 2:08 PM
Comment #38Clint.
Agreed. It is a team sport, everyone shares the lack of goals scored, just as they should defend from the front.
Raj of Hailsley
May 3, 2022 at 2:09 PM
Comment #39Bill’s,
As Adamn_92 said, the whole discussion is veering off point. I do understand that you did not want a team full of 30+ year old, but you did use it in an example, there is nothing wrong with signing a Thiago Silva but surely it’s team dependent. Our team structure at the minute, imo should have us focusing on youth. Anybody please feel free to add to that but it’s my last on the matter as I’m getting bored of it.
Zele
May 3, 2022 at 2:15 PM
Comment #40Clint,
Goals and goal scoring has as much to do with individual forward ability as with control of the game.
Even with Bruno, BigJoe and Shelvey we still don’t control or sometimes not even compete in the midfield.
We are better than we were but a lot of work still has to be done by the coaches.
Seeing how Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea play and control the space and tempo of the game means we have a lot to do before we reach their standards.
A goal scorer will help but the key is the midfield.