Newcastle United are typically a middling team in the Premier League, so they surprised everyone when they finished fourth in the table during 2022-23. As a result, the Magpies made it back to the Champions League for the first time in two decades.
However, competing at the highest level in Europe and England at the same time proved to be too much for Eddie Howe’s men, and they are back on the drawing board after finishing seventh in the table in 2023-24.
The Magpies’ lack of depth was exposed last season as injuries have caught up to them, so Eddie Howe has his work cut out for him in trying to reinforce his squad.
However, the team’s constraints will prove to be biggest roadblocks to their success. According to the SBOTOP Premier League 2024 odds, it’s safe to say that the Magpies will head back to an all-familiar place, the middle of the pack.
PSR puts Newcastle United in shackles
The Magpies are walking on thin ice this summer because they have to comply with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) that state that a club cannot have a loss of more than £105 million over a three-year period or else they’ll face huge sanctions.
Nottingham Forest and Everton were the first two casualties of PSR as they were docked points in the table, and of course, Newcastle United are trying to avoid a similar fate.
For Newcastle United, this means they are going to be compelled to sell some of their key players to raise funds for summer signings, and rival clubs are looking to capitalise on their predicament.
Other than their PSR-related problems, Newcastle United are in the midst of a front office overhaul, as Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi sold their ownership shares. As a result, the Saudi PIF now own 85-per cent of the club, while co-owner RB Sports and Media holds the remaining 15-per cent.
Newcastle United have also witnessed the transfer of their sporting director, Dan Ashworth, to Manchester United, which is obviously a huge loss for them. However, at least they have Paul Mitchell, who is a ready-made replacement.
Potential ins and outs
With the situation they’re in right now, Newcastle United will have to let go of some of their players. While their rivals are circling around Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak, and Bruno Guimaraes, Eddie Howe is not keen on selling them to alleviate their predicament, despite their high transfer values.
Instead, they put Callum Wilson, Kieran Trippier, and Miguel Almiron on the chopping block. All of them are nice players, but they were deemed surplus by the Magpies.
You can feel for Howe because Isak, Gordon, and Guimaraes are three of the Magpies’ best players.
Last season, Alexander Isak was the team’s top scorer with 25 goals and two assists, while Anthony Gordon had 12 goals and 10 assists. Bruno Guimaraes, on the other hand, had seven goals and 10 assists and was their best box-to-box midfielder.
Newcastle United have already made four new signings this summer, bringing in goalkeepers Odysseas Vlachomidos and John Ruddy, plus defenders Lewis Hall and Lloyd Kelly, but that won’t be enough for Eddie Howe.
Howe and co. recently made a bid on AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw, but the Rossoneri rejected the Magpies’ £25 million offer.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United sold Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to Nottingham Forest and Brighton, respectively.
Patience is the key for Newcastle United
With the way their roster looks now, Newcastle United should remain in the middle of the pack because it is crowded at the top. Manchester City and Arsenal are gunning for the Premier League title, while Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester United, and Chelsea are all lurking.
As long as the team doesn’t sell Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak, and Bruno Guimaraes, especially to their league rivals, Newcastle United should be alright.
Sandro Tonali is going to be the team’s x-factor, as he has been out for a long time because he breached the English FA’s betting rules. According to the Premier League 2024 updates, the young Italian is back with the squad.
If Sandro Tonali gets his act together, he will feel like a new signing for Newcastle United, and it’ll be exciting to see him link up with Bruno Guimaraes in the middle of the park.
Newcastle United aren’t expected to compete for trophies anytime soon, but with a good group of personnel behind the scenes, they should be back in the mix sooner rather than later.
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