‘Eddie Howe’s faith in Newcastle under threat as club admit defeat again’
Eddie Howe’s faith in Newcastle’s pulling power could be waning after the club admitted defeat in yet another high-profile transfer tussle.
Newcastle’s stellar 2024/25 domestic campaign means they are back in the Champions League for next season, and Magpies boss Howe wants to add a number of top players to his ranks this summer as a result.
Football Insider revealed in June that Newcastle are expected to make up to three major signings in the summer window due to being in a better position regarding profit and sustainability rules (PSR), but as the season edges ever closer they are in danger of being left behind by the top clubs.
Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo looks set for a move to Man United despite interest from Newcastle, with an improved offer now sent for him to move to Old Trafford [The Athletic], while the Magpies were targeting a move for Jarell Quansah, but the Liverpool centre-back instead joined Bayer Leverkusen.
Football Insider revealed on 4 July that Howe was also “devastated” to have missed out on signing Joao Pedro, after they had seen a £50m bid rejected by Brighton before he joined top-five rivals Chelsea.
Newcastle have now missed out on yet another transfer target amid recent reports, and key striker Alexander Isak will be unsettled, so Howe must be questioning the St James Park decision-makers at this moment in time.
Howe to be unsettled as Newcastle miss out on Ekitike
Newcastle’s striker situation has been a complicated one in recent weeks, but the Magpies did not want to lose Alexander Isak despite Football Insider recently revealing that Liverpool had bid £130million for the Swedish hotshot.
It looks as if the Reds have used their Tyneside counterparts as a smokescreen for the actual transfer they want to complete, though, with Liverpool now closing in on a move for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who wants to join the Anfield outfit.
Newcastle were also targeting a move for Ekitike prior to news of the Reds’ interest, and they saw a £70m bid [Sky Sports] for his services rejected by the German club earlier this week, and according to The Telegraph Howe’s side have now admitted “defeat”.
The Magpies have now been left with a situation that sees Liverpool snatching their top striker target, while the Reds have potentially unsettled and annoyed their own key forward in Isak, so Howe must be scratching his head trying to figure out where to go from here.
Newcastle have made just one major signing so far in Anthony Elanga, but even that was a long, drawn-out saga, and some people close to the talks “genuinely feared the deal was all but off” [The Athletic] late on in the transfer due to issues with his agents.
Newcastle must land Wissa to calm Howe exit nerves
Football finance expert Dan Plumley recently told Football Insider that Newcastle are still in a “tricky spot” regarding finances, as they need to bolster their squad depth but could do with selling players to further ease PSR concerns before that happens.
They have routinely missed out on their top targets so far, which will irk Howe and their supporters who were promised a fruitful window after qualifying for the Champions League last season.
Newcastle must still hold out hope of having a successful end to their summer business though, and they can kick that off by landing Brentford’s Yoane Wissa to play alongside Isak in attack.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 149 | 49 | 13 |
The Athletic reported on 17 July that Newcastle are exploring a deal to sign Brentford striker Wissa, with contact expected soon to try and land the DR Congo international who scored 19 goals in the Premier League last season.
While he is clearly second-choice to Ekitike, signing Wissa would undoubtedly calm the nerves of all on Tyneside that are becoming increasingly impatient at the Magpies’ lack of business, Howe included.
As well as him, Football Insider recently revealed that Newcastle are readying a near-£40m bid to sign James Trafford from Burnley, and his capture would be a big statement of intent considering his quality in between the sticks and potential to become England’s number one keeper soon.