The new Elliot Anderson could be on his way to sign for Newcastle

Matthias Jaissle has been frank with reporters – acerbic, even – when quizzed on Newcastle United‘s less-than desirable preparations for the new Premier League season.

The Magpies have been, to put it lightly, rocked by post-season calamity – once again. Anthony Gordon and then Sandro Tonali and now Bruno Guimaraes have all been sold. The latter’s insistence on moving to Premier League champions Arsenal proved the final straw for Eddie Howe, whose resignation has cast PIF into uncharted waters.

Under Howe, Newcastle were moored in safe harbour, but perhaps it was the right time for a change, albeit in the wrong circumstances.

With Jaissle, a front-footed and aggressive tactician, in the hot seat, things are changing, but he needs to fix the ailing midfield – pronto.

How Jaissle can fix Newcastle’s midfield in 26/27

Many believe Newcastle are in for a rough ride this season, and there’s no question that this is a transitional phase for the Toon, but Jaissle could turn a few doubters on their heads with the right investment before the summer window closes.

After all, Newcastle have already signed two elite midfield prospects in Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur, bringing a blend of ball-winning steel and elegant playmaking to St. James’ Park. Combined, these midfielders have an age of 38, which means dumping these two players into Guimaraes and Tonali’s boots could have an ill-effect on Newcastle’s wider plans.

Jaissle needs to be smart. The Magpies boss wants to play a certain way, and it may take a while to press his philosopher into the minds of a bunch of Magpies whose future has been shaken and leadership has been stripped away.

In fairness, PIF have tried to add experience to the fold. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is the latest to have rejected Newcastle, while another target, Joao Palhinha, appears to be inching toward Aston Villa.

REUTERS/Alexandre Dimou

This sour sequence of events has only fanned flames caught when Elliot Anderson was sold to Nottingham Forest two years ago. The Three Lions star has recently completed a £116m transfer to Manchester City.

Anderson is now firmly out of reach, but how Newcastle could do with a similar profile to propel them forward over the coming year.

How Newcastle can sign their new Elliot Anderson

It’s going to be a season of hardship for the Newcastle persuasion, but that’s not to say they can’t endure and make it a successful season in the end.

They will need another midfielder, though, and according to reports in the last 24 hours, Manchester City’s Nico Gonzalez is on their radar. With the Toon searching for more experience, he would tick plenty of boxes.

That said, Gonzalez is not the only Premier League midfielder on their radar. Accordign to The Athletic, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba has been considered to pave over the potholes in the middle of the park.

Internal discussions have taken place, and though his dream job falls at Manchester United’s Old Trafford, their midfield recruitment drive this summer could open the door for Newcastle to strike.

Baleba has been priced at a £75m-£80m valuation which might prove inhibitive. Still, Baleba is one of the most talented rising stars in the Premier League, and he has the capacity to run the show over many seasons for Newcastle.

It would be remiss to ignore Baleba’s startling dip over the past year. The Cameroon international was clearly rocked by the failed bid to move to Man United, but we’ve already seen his ability to produce and sustain first-class performances.

Across 2024/25, he excelled, and if he can recover and build on that level, we might even see Baleba fill an Anderson-shaped hole at St. James’ Park, with the potential to hit similar beats to the Englishman when at Forest last year.

He is still young, still developing. In that, Baleba might not be the dream midfield arrival, for he would not instil the kind of leadership Jaissle is so eager to secure.

But Anderson is a leader, right? He’s got a lot of confidence, that one, and he operated with the swagger and substance of an older and more experienced man at the City Ground. Were he playing for Newcastle this year, it’s clear he’d be the linchpin of Jaissle’s engine room.

Baleba is a rare profile indeed; journalist Eduardo Hagn has called him as a “monster” of a midfielder. He is naturally combative while endowed with the kind of physicality that allows him to spring forward and carry the ball into the danger area. He covers more ground than most midfielders could fathom, and in that, brings an Anderson-like flavour to midfield. Newcastle would be foolish to not explore a possible move before the transfer deadline.

If Brighton relax their exorbitant £100m transfer demand, there’s every reason that Baleba could become the leader of this new-look Newcastle midfield. He might not be as old as Jaissle would perhaps like, but there’s so much to be excited about as far as Baleba is concerned.