Newcastle have already signed a winger who’s a bigger talent than Toure

Newcastle United can ill-afford another poor season in the Premier League, but let’s put it this way: if Eddie Howe was available on the managerial market, fans would snap at the chance to welcome him to St. James’ Park.

After all, Howe has taken the Toon on quite the ride since replacing Steve Bruce at the start of the PIF era. From relegation candidates to domestic cup champions, Newcastle have come on leaps and bounds, enjoying two Champions League campaigns besides.

But Howe will know that United are at a criticial juncture, that a lack of progress, evolution, over the first couple of months next term will result in his 945 being delivered.

It’s been a rocky old road for the Magpies over the past year, but Howe will maintain that his side are turning a corner, with Bazoumana Toure signed and sealed as Anthony Gordon’s replacement at St. James’ Park.

Why Newcastle have signed Bazoumana Toure

Newcastle have finalised a long-awaited move for a left-sided winger who has the potential to become a superstar.

Toure is only 20 years old, but he has made a real difference at Hoffenheim, belying his youth and inexperience to draw plaudits from all over. He has been called “one of the most exciting young wingers in European football” by journalist Bence Bocsak.

After all, five goals and nine assists across your breakout Bundesliga campaign is not to be sniffed at. The Ivory Coast international’s pace and potency down the left wing makes him the perfect counterbalancing force to Harvey Barnes, far more direct and simple in his modus operandi.

His signature has not come cheap. Newcastle have stumped up £43m for a raw winger who will not be the finished article from the get-go. But the potential is there, and he will indeed add a dimension or two to Howe’s attacking structure.

Think of him as Gordon’s long-term replacement, mirroring the Three Lions superstar’s electric dribbling and his snappy movements on the ball. Versatility, too, comes naturally to this rising star, only strengthening his position in Howe’s reckoning.

However, Newcastle still need more, and while he won’t have an instant impact in the Premier League, Newcastle have already agreed a deal for an even bigger talent than Toure.

Newcastle have already agreed to sign a bigger talent than Toure

Newcastle are pushing for a resurgence in the Premier League. While Johan Martinez won’t play a big part in the fightback next season, it is at least comforting to know that the Ecuadorian prospect is set to join the Magpies in the summer of 2027, after his 18th birthday.

“We’re delighted to beat off serious competition from leading clubs across Europe to bring Johan to Newcastle United,” Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson said when the deal was completed in April. This is a statement move, and further evidence that Newcastle’s long-term project is attractive for rising stars.

Previous reports detailed the vested interest of Liverpool and Manchester City, both beaten in this race.

While Martinez, 17 years old, plays off the left wing, it is not expected that he will threaten Toure’s position – not for a while. However, he could end up succeeding the Ivorian, rivalling him and given United a depth in attack that could align with their amibitions at the top.

Toure replaces Gordon, but Martinez has the potential to eclipse both of them. “Exciting” in the words of the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards, the six-cap Ecuador U17 star has not yet made his senior debut for Independiente del Valle, but he’s well on his way. He is “one of the finest talents in Ecuador“, according to journalist Antonio Mango, and may soon broaden those horizons.

An explosive winger who is tipped to become a physical force when he grows into his skin, Martinez is the real deal, and while we will havew to wait to see him in action, there is every chance that he will cement himself as a mainstay down the line.

Martinez is not going to be stealing the show for a bit more time yet, but the potential is there. If the right time and energy and care is invested in this emergent attacker, Howe could guide an even bigger talent than Gordon and Toure to the fold.