Newcastle United’s summer has barely begun and already the question being asked around St James’ Park is a familiar one – how much of this squad will still be here when the window closes?
Players who could leave Newcastle this summer
Anthony Gordon has already gone, joining Barcelona for £69 million in a deal that felt inevitable once it emerged he had no intention of signing a new contract.
It was the first major departure of the window – and almost certainly not the last. Last summer brought the saga of Alexander Isak, who eventually forced through a British record move to Liverpool for £125 million after a very public falling out with the club.
The Magpies reinvested – but the sense that top players see Newcastle as a stepping stone has refused to go away.
Now, Sandro Tonali is at the centre of the latest saga. His camp have made clear they expect him to leave this summer and believe they have been transparent with Newcastle throughout.
Tottenham have already had a bid in the region of £80 million rejected, with Newcastle holding out for closer to £100 million, and Manchester City and Arsenal are also monitoring the situation.
Bruno Guimaraes, at least, appears to be staying, but Eddie Howe faces yet another window defined as much by who leaves as who arrives.
The futures of Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade remain unresolved too, adding further uncertainty to the manager’s options up front, and it appears the Magpies are now keen to sell one of last summer’s new number nines in order to fund a replacement.
Newcastle launch Balogun move
Indeed, according to reports in France, via Sport Witness, Monaco and USA star Folarin Balogun is a major target for Newcastle this summer and PIF are ‘very interested’ in signing him.
They face competition from Aston Villa, but have moved ahead of the Villans in the race by reaching out to Monaco to enquire over the conditions of a deal, with the Ligue 1 club demanding €50m (£43m) for the 24 year-old.
What’s more, Newcastle are now set to sell Wissa this summer in order to fund a quick move for Balogun and fend off any last-minute suitors.
Howe and co. have made Wissa ‘available in the market’ and hope to ‘accelerate’ a deal for Balogun as soon as the former Brentford man is sold.
The Monaco star, meanwhile, has lit up the World Cup this summer, scoring twice in USA’s opening win against Paraguay.
He found the net 13 times in 30 appearances in the French top flight last season, and would be returning to English shores with a point to prove having failed to make the grade at Arsenal as a youngster.
If Newcastle were to sell Tonali and Wissa on top of Gordon this summer, it would finally allow them some serious wiggle room against PSR restrictions, and it seems North America’s emerging superstar could be the first marquee man through the door to replace them.
Club to gift Newcastle or Everton green light to sign star on one condition
He could make his return to English football…
