Keith Wyness

Thu 27 March 2025 12:21, UK

Newcastle United could be well placed to strengthen their squad this summer if they qualify for next season’s Champions League. 

Eddie Howe’s side missed out on European football for this season after finishing seventh in the Premier League in 2023-24.

However, the Tyneside club currently sit sixth in the table, one point behind fifth-place Manchester City with a game in hand.

Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider Newcastle have a “huge” Champions League advantage due to their favourable fixtures over the coming weeks. 

The north-east giants have been linked with several attacking players as speculation continues around star striker Alexander Isak, who has been heavily linked with Arsenal and Liverpool.

Football Insider revealed on 16 February Isak is seen as the “perfect” signing by Liverpool manager Arne Slot and the recruitment team at Anfield.

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted Newcastle could agree a deal to sign a new striker and keep hold of Isak. 

Football Insider revealed on 15 March Newcastle will have to pay a “huge fee” to sign Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window.

Howe’s side are long-term admirers of the 22-year-old, who has registered 19 goals and eight assists in 38 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt this season. 

Newcastle could overhaul squad with £150m Alexander Isak sale

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted Newcastle could refresh their squad if they were to sell Isak for £150million this summer.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I think it’s the media because they know that the striker situation is a big story right now, particularly with Newcastle winning the Carabao Cup. 

“They are really in the headlines at the moment. Isak is the main story for Newcastle. He’s such a good player and there’s no doubt a huge amount of interest.

“It’s also clear that Arsenal and Liverpool are in the market for top-level strikers, so it’s natural those things are going to get put together. 

“Newcastle being linked with all these other strikers is natural as well. I think that Isak and one other may stay as well, so they could bring in another striker with him.

“I just think that this whole Newcastle winning the Carabao Cup meant a lot more mentally to PIF and really made them sort of get really on board with some of the plans that they might have just been thinking about. 

“Now they’ve gone, we’re all in, we’re going to really make this work for next season. I just get the feeling there’s momentum behind Newcastle right now to try and get those budgets cleared and try and keep the nucleus of this squad that they’ve got right now.

“Now, already we’ve discussed how Newcastle spent some serious money just a couple of seasons ago and front loaded this squad. It’s coming up for refreshing, so that’s going to have to be done. 

“If Isak was to go for £150million, that would be a big chunk towards that refreshment overall. They could find somebody that could replace Isak and they could find two or three strikers up front, so I’ve got every faith that Paul Mitchell and Eddie Hare will come to the right decision.

“But if I was a Newcastle fan, I’d want Isak to stay for another season.” 

Newcastle told ‘£40m’ Victor Boniface bid could be accepted

Football Insider revealed on 22 March Newcastle could see a £40million Victor Boniface bid accepted in the summer transfer window.

The Nigeria international has been one of Bayer Leverkusen’s standout players over the past couple of seasons.

The 24-year-old has registered 31 goals and 11 assists in 56 appearances, including 10 strikes in 22 outings this season, since joining the Bundesliga champions from Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023.

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