Newcastle have addressed the defense this window with the additions of Matt Targett on a permanent basis, goalkeeper Nick Pope, and marquee signing Sven Botman at center-back. The focus will soon shift to the final third in the hopes of adding goals to the squad.
One instant boost would be if Callum Wilson manages to stay fit for the bulk of the upcoming season. Wilson has been Newcastle’s top scorer for each of the last two campaigns despite missing long spells through injury.
The Mirror is reporting that Wilson will soon enter new contract talks with his current deal set to expire in just two years. This could be Wilson’s final chance at a bumper contract as passed the age of 30 earlier this year.
Eddie Howe remains an admirer of Wilson, who he also managed at Bournemouth. He is keen on tying the striker down long-term. Wilson’s return from a four-month injury this past May reminded everyone of his value to the team. A full season from Callum could see Newcastle fighting for a place in Europe.
Howe will still look to bring in more options up front and lessen the load on Wilson. So far, the window has proven extremely frustrating with the collapsed move for Hugo Ekitike and inflated quotes for other targets like Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Loading ...
***To curb some of the toxicity with the comments, please try not to react to any personal insults or attacks.
I understand this is difficult but we would like to foster a better atmosphere for our readers.
If someone is trying to goad you into a conflict, please email us at admin@nufcblog.com and we will take action against the instigator.
Keep in mind due to a five hour time difference, we may not be able to respond promptly between the hours of 10pm to 10am BST but will respond retroactively by moderating posters who instigate personal attacks.***
266 comments so far
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:47 AM
Comment #241Spurs have recruited well too and surely Man Utd will make some good moves with their latest manager coming in.
Have to be realistic, our squad will not be at the level of any of the top 6. In order for us to finish top 6, we’d need to have an amazing season AND one of them would need to have a stinker. Not impossible but not really something I’m expecting to happen. We should be in the 7th-10th range and I’m obviously hoping 7th and not a million miles away from 6th. 10th and zero threat of relegation would be decent progress though…
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:50 AM
Comment #242Adam
That’s a good sign and I’d imagine work-rate is one of the things Howe demands as a minimum. It will be interesting to see if Howe manages to coax more tracking back from ASM or tries to improve his end-product as a point of priority. ASM leaves us exposed on the left but we have the excellent Targett covering, but if he’s going to leave us exposed we need more goals and assists from him.
I’ve said 10 and 10 from ASM this season or we look to move him on. Huge season for him in the black and white.
ITUNDERASHELL
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:50 AM
Comment #243Interesting podcast about Tielemans from Ever More NUFC this morning NWTL
https://youtu.be/_fgjC64LW38
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:51 AM
Comment #244I’ve got 8th in my mind and I’m sticking with that even if we do make a few more good signings, as you say TDS everyone is strengthening so top 6 is a big jump in one year, I said 8th but I won’t be too disappointed if we finish 10th because it’s the hardest league in the world
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:52 AM
Comment #245TDS
Interesting that you reckon Spurs have recruited well as I have a slightly different view. Bissouma is good value and a slight upgrade on Hjoberg in my opinion, Perisic will hardly play and Richarlison can go one of two ways with my gut feeling that he will be a canny expensive flop for them. That being said, their squad is considerably better than ours right now and I’m in agreement that 7th – 10th is the aim.
toon22
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:52 AM
Comment #246I’d guess Diaby would be ASMs replacement
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:53 AM
Comment #247Quick reply from Neil.
“This is a massive help. I appreciate you reaching out.
I will draft something like this tomorrow as I will be limited on the blog
today.
Thanks for helping us try to get everything under control.
All the best,
Neil”
DrGloom
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:54 AM
Comment #248If ASM is going to get 10 goals and 10 assists we’re going to have to have Wilson stay fit or sign a top.forward who can slot I for him when he’s injured
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:54 AM
Comment #24922
Not straight away mate I reckon Eddie will give him at least till January maybe even the season and see how he fares
cyprus
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:54 AM
Comment #250This is what leading journalist thinks about us and Broja, and I quote:
“I’m sure Newcastle might be thinking maybe…”
Let me try to disentangle this nugget. He’s sure of something, which is pretty solid, good.
Now, he’s sure that we might maybe be thinking… So, equally we might also not be maybe thinking… Or that we might not maybe not be thinking…
Let me think about it and I just might maybe figure it out and report back. Or maybe not.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:55 AM
Comment #251Darnik – 8th would be fantastic progress. We’re going to have serious competition from the likes of West Ham, Villa, and Leicester for the top half, plus probably 1 or 2 other clubs who have a better season than expected. It’s not going to be easy to even get top half but we’ve got momentum now so that has to be the primary target.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:56 AM
Comment #252Cyprus
What qualifies for “journalism” in this country is a pretty low bar isn’t it!
TDS
Good man, thanks for reaching out to Neil to get that ball rolling. A code of conduct here should really help get things under control.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:57 AM
Comment #253Toon22
Well both Diaby and ASM can play LW and RW so both can play together so I’m not reading signing Diaby as automatically selling ASM but there’s no getting away from the fact that it’s a big season for him to step up his output.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 4, 2022 at 10:57 AM
Comment #254Ruddy – It’s going to be tough for Spurs to get top 4 again but they’ve given themselves a fighting chance at least. You’d have to assume Man City and Liverpool will be there and the rest will battle for 3-6th. Could be some surprises though…and still the possibility of some shock signings for a club.
Rotonda heights
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:01 AM
Comment #255terence slim
You make it sound as if the takeover has been a failure. About as daft as Kets saying Howe needs to go.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:02 AM
Comment #256TDS
All things being equal I think Spurs are the 6th best team. Arsenal’s summer business so far has been shrewd and if they can get Jesus firing (I’m predicting close to 20 PL goals from him this season) then they’ll be in the top 4 mix. Will Ten Hag turn around the sinking oil tanker that is Man U? Tuchel’s Chelsea underperformed last season and still finished top 4.
For me, top 4 is a guaranteed 3 of Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea, with Arsenal, Spurs, Man U all have significantly better squads than us so breaking that top 6 is tricky. West Ham and Leicester all have been knocking on that door these past few seasons and Wolves overperformed last year so I’d be looking to target finishing ahead of these 3 teams while closing the gap on the rest as a really really good season.
lochinvar
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:03 AM
Comment #257Saw a post via Twattery that Woods has better goal scoring stats than Richarlson.
With our new regime and sports conditioning team that Woods will be leaner, fitter and more agile than last season.
The squad is going to be awesome.
valle
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:05 AM
Comment #258If we stay with what we have got now, then I say 8th. If we get Diaby, Paqueta and a strikker, then i say 5th
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:07 AM
Comment #259Tds
Which is why I’m not overly concerned about finishing 8th, as you mentioned earlier not having to look over our shoulders and worry about relegation is a god send having endured 14 years of neglect I think we’re all confident that we won’t be, well all of us who aren’t on a wind up anyway 😉
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:09 AM
Comment #260Loch
I saw that too richalason had played 2 games more with less goals
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:10 AM
Comment #261Valle
Diaby and Paqueta would certainly take us up a notch. In terms of a new striker, I think the profile of player we seem to be looking at isn’t so much someone who can take Wilson’s role immediately, but rather a young striker who could eventually take Wilson’s role, or deputise for him whenever he is injured so I don’t see a new Striker being as revolutionary a signing as potentially Diaby or Paqueta would be, although it is still an important signing.
I just think there’s a lot of ground to make up between where we are in 11th to where the top 6 are. I’d be delighted if we could close the gap, I just think we need another season or two.
Davas
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:11 AM
Comment #262Looking forward to seeing how ASM performs this season after a preseason under EH and his team. He seemed to be judging when to pass and when to run a bit better towards the end of the season.
Hopefully his defensive cover will improve too. There were times last season where it looked like he didn’t seem sure where to go which could be down to the previous manager(s) not being bothered about him doing any defending.
Hoping to see an even better ASM this season
Darnik
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:12 AM
Comment #263Ruddy
Jesus hasn’t been prolific so far but tbf he hasn’t had a chance to be at city with their rotation, hopefully he has a stinker and it keeps them out of the champions league
valle
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:16 AM
Comment #264Ruddy
I agree about the strikker, and I dont think thats a problem at all, because I believe that Wilson is a 20 goal striker with the right team and staying fit.
I wouldnt mind if we finished lower than My prediction, but I believe its possible since we have already shown top 3 form since Howe came in, and if you add the players I mentioned, I believe that we will really surprise people.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:19 AM
Comment #265Darnik
In 149 PL games he has 58 goals which is a goalscoring ratio of 0.39 goals per game (or 1 goal in every 2.6 games) which certainly ain’t bad. Granted, we could argue that he should be scoring more in a team such as City, but he could also be one of these players who needs a team built around him. As an undisputed focal point at Arsenal he could absolutely fly hence why I’ll be keeping an eye on him.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 4, 2022 at 11:23 AM
Comment #266Valle
I really hope so, and I agree that Wilson is 20 goals a season when fit, which sadly he rarely is.
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility for us to carry our second half of the season form into next season but the pragmatist in me thinks this is unlikely. I’m excited to see what Howe can do with the team given a full pre-season and really good summer transfer window. But I’d be delighted with 7th, some canny good football and a cheeky cup run.