Newcastle's £250m Summer Signings – Has Any Player Delivered?
Newcastle United invested heavily in rebuilding their squad during the summer, bringing in eight senior players with all but two - Gonzalez and Dedic - signed before Matthias Jaissle arrived.
But with nine competitive games played in all, how much have the newcomers actually contributed?
The early stats make interesting reading.
Some signings like Hornicek have quickly established themselves, others are still struggling for opportunities, and one young Toure has made a decent goalscoring contribution despite limited playing time.
How Newcastle's Summer Signings Have Performed
The figures below cover all competitive first-team matches in the 2026/27 season, including the League Cup.
Player | Apps | Starts | Minutes | Goals | Assists |
Lukáš Horníček | 8 | 8 | 720 | 0 | 0 |
Amar Dedić | 7 | 6 | 495 | 0 | 1 |
Nico González | 6 | 6 | 434 | 0 | 1 |
Sean Steur | 7 | 3 | 291 | 0 | 0 |
Matias Fernandez-Pardo | 6 | 4 | 328 | 0 | 0 |
Bazoumana Touré | 6 | 1 | 163 | 2 | 0 |
Aladji Bamba | 3 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
Ewen Jaouen | 1 | 1 | 90 | 0 | 0 |
Summary: C£250M has bought just two goals - both from Toure - and just two assists.
Bazoumana Touré – The Standout Goalscorer
Perhaps the most surprising statistic belongs to Touré.
The £43 million signing from Hoffenheim has scored twice despite playing just 163 minutes of competitive football.
.
Yet he has started only one match, raising the obvious question of whether Jaissle should be giving the 20-year-old more opportunities.
Lukáš Horníček – Straight Into the First Team
The Czech goalkeeper has become Newcastle's established first choice, playing 720 minutes across eight matches.
Horníček has made 23 saves and conceded 14 goals in those appearances, keeping one clean sheet.
However, that goals conceded stat hasn't been helped by our defensive frailties.
Nico González – Still Finding His Feet
The £52 million midfielder arrived from Manchester City with considerable expectations.
He has started all six of his appearances, playing 434 minutes and providing one assist.
A key part of Jaissles's 4231, like the team, he is still trying to get into the groove and his best is yet to come
Matias Fernandez-Pardo – Waiting for His Breakthrough
Newcastle's deadline-day arrival from Lille has played 328 minutes across six appearances, including four starts.
He has yet to register a goal or assist.
At just 21, he is still along with Gonzalez, our most expensive signing of the summer and the expectations that fans had are yet to be seen in his performances, and he has looked out of his depth in the PL as the main ST.
Sean Steur – Why Isn't He Getting More Starts?
Steur has made seven appearances, starting three and accumulating 291 minutes.
The 18 year old has arguably been the most impressive of the eight signings and yet after starting early in the season Jaissle has failed to bring him on even as a sub recently.
Jaissle must have his reasons but some fans, me included, are struggling to understand what those reasons are.
Amar Dedić – A Regular Presence
Dedić has made seven appearances, starting six.
Injury halted his run of games but he showed in those he played that he seems very good value for money at £30M and Tino Livramento will have a fight on his hands for the RB spot when both are fit.
Ewen Jaouen – Limited Opportunities
The young French goalkeeper has made one appearance in the League Cup.
Currently injured he is likely to replace Pope on the bench as the No.2 keeper when he returns.
Aladji Bamba - £35M Fee, 27 Minutes Played
Possibly the signing that has some fans scratching their heads.
£35M for a 20 year old who clearly isn't trusted yet by Jaissle to start, or even have many minutes off the bench, isn't what Newcastle need or can afford.
And that brings me on to the key question...
Was it the right policy for Newcastle to sign so many young players at the same time and expect a manager, whether it was Eddie or anyone else, to develop these players simultaneously while attempting to compete in the Premier League?
That question has even more relevance when they were effectively replacing key top PL performers like Gordon, Bruno, Tonali and Trippier.
My view was that it was a risk, a view expressed by many on the blog, and that risk only increased when a young manager who also had no experience in the PL replaced Eddie.
As it stands, most fans would say that risk isn't paying off as Jaissle is struggling not only to make his 4231 effective, but also with little input from our new signings.
Jaissle and the young lads haven't been helped by experienced leaders like Burn, Schar and Jo being unavilable but that perhaps just shows how risky our signing policy was.
New signings, and especially young ones, often excite fans.
But reality can set in faster than quick drying cement.
And currently, most fans are stuck on whether the right decisions were made by Ross Wilson.
What do you think?
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It appears the injury situation is heading in the right direction, subject to match fitness!
I hope our performances and results will improve with the availability of some of our more experienced players!
EPL Injury Table - Premier Injuries
Daresay if Eddie rocks up at Old Trapdoor that changes the narrative on Hall.
Not good .
Harry Kane on the score sheet again, what a signing he has been for Bayern Munich.
Sciatica- Hernia- Gout
I've all three in my midfield
Fernandes has just publicly let rip on Carrick. He's a nasty piece of work doing that, just because he was substituted.
Et tu Bruno ?