What Newcastle’s starting XI will look like next season if they spend £175m

Newcastle United have been put through the wringer once again in the summer transfer market, but the key point of difference in 2026 is that there is plenty of time left for Eddie Howe and company to put things to rights.

It’s been tough, though, with the Magpies having lost Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively. Something to the tune of £170m was banked for those sales.

But Howe is determined to lift his outfit back up, having finished 12th in the Premier League last season.

All told, Newcastle could add another £175m to their summer expenditure. That might seem like a lot, but change is afoot on Tyneside, and Howe needs to make sweeping changes to bring his outfit back into the limelight.

Let’s have a look at exactly what might go down at St. James’ Park.

1

GK – James Trafford

If at first you don’t succeed, try again. It’s a mantra adopted by Newcastle’s rivals as they pluck their star players from them like feathers from a, well, Magpie, but they may now do the same with Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford.

Newcastle’s move for Trafford was hijacked at the eleventh hour last year, but Man City signed Gianluigi Donnarumma soon afterwards, and now all parties are looking for a solution.

City want £40m for the England international; the Toon probably won’t want to pay that much. This one could go either way.

2

RB – Tino Livramento

Poor Tino Livramento, who has missed England’s World Cup campaign after sustaining a calf injury in the build-up. It’s been a tough and interminable time for the 23-year-old, who is one of the most talented full-backs in the league and who also picks up setback after setback.

Rumours of a summer sale have evaporated. Arsenal had been keen on striking a £70m deal, but it now looks certain that Livramento will form part of the resurgence on Tyneside next season.

3

CB – Karim Coulibaly

Howe’s attention hasn’t been fixed on central defence this summer – but that doesn’t mean that that won’t change over the coming weeks, with feelers already put out to sign Karim Coulibaly from Werder Bremen. Reports from earlier this summer suggest talks have already been held, though Chelsea are also interested.

Coulibaly, who is only 19, would not be expected to start every week. Fabian Schar and Dan Burn form an experienced and reliable defensive system, ready when called upon.

4

CB – Sven Botman

Sven Botman was hailed as “one of the best defenders in the Premier League” by Howe last season, but the truth is that it’s been a while since the Dutch centre-half was at the top of his game.

Injuries have been most unkind to him, but the 26-year-old started each of Newcastle’s final nine Premier League games of the campaign, and a strong pre-season could do him the world of good.

5

LB – Lewis Hall

Lewis Hall will have been frustrated to have been overlooked by Thomas Tuchel ahead of England’s World Cup campaign, but nothing changes on Tyneside: he is one of best left-backs in the league.

6

CM – Angelo Stiller

With Tonali having left for pastures new, Newcastle need to sign a replacement, and Angelo Stiller, a free-flowing pass master, could be the right man for the job, with the £44m-rated German understood to sit at the top of Newcastle’s shortlist.

7

CM – Bruno Guimaraes

Admittedly, this is a glass-half-full take on the developing Bruno Guimaraes saga, but you’d like to think that Newcastle would fight tooth and nail to keep their captain at the club.

Arsenal have made a number of informal offers through intermediaries, and the 28-year-old has made it clear that he wants to explore a fresh challenge.

It Newcastle have anything about them, they will fight tooth and nail to keep their linchpin at the heart of the project.

8

CM – Johan Manzambi

If Newcastle pull this one off, it will be a statement signing for this transitional project. Johan Manzambi is one of the most exciting young midfielders in the world, and a £51.5m fee has been agreed to bring him over to Tyneside.

Switzerland’s breakout star is still competing over the pond, so don’t expect an immediate announcement, but if the Toon win this race, it would be a significant statement of intent.

9

RW – Anthony Elanga

Anthony Elanga did not have a terrific debut campaign with Newcastle after his big-money switch from Nottingham Forest, but the Sweden star excelled, for the most part, at the World Cup, before France knocked Graham Potter’s side out.

He’s fast and tenacious and a tough one to anticipate. If he kicks on next term, Newcastle could be well-placed to bounce back into European contention.

10

LW – Bazoumana Toure

When Newcastle’s move for Victor Munoz was hijacked by Liverpool last month, it must have felt like Groundhog Day on Tyneside. But the Toon have bounced back through the signing of Bazoumana Toure, an exciting, pacy winger from the Bundesliga.

He cost a pretty penny at £43m, but the 20-year-old has all that he needs to develop into a Gordon-esque talisman for Howe’s side.