Latest news with #NewcastleUponTyne
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Newcastle United Transfer Progress Is Slow And Fans Want Answers
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe celebrates gaining a ... More Champions League place after the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Everton FC at St James' Park on May 25, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images) For Newcastle United supporters, this was billed as a summer to remember. After three transfer windows without a major first-team signing, this is the time to improve, off the back of the greatest season in its modern history. The momentum of winning its first major trophy in 70 years carried through to securing Champions League qualification. Both of those achievements promised much; a stronger hand when looking to keep its best players, particularly Alexander Isak, the star striker for whom a new contract is earmarked, and brighter prospects for new recruits. Analysis of the club's transfer plans do not need to be thorough; a right-winger, a centre-back, a striker and a goalkeeper are wanted, just as they have been for two years. Newcastle's failure to strengthen in those positions has not been down to choice, but rather the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. Newcastle coach, Eddie Howe, confirmed in his final press conference last season that PSR is not a major concern this summer. A year ago, there was huge concern as the club scrambled to sell two of its best young players, Elliot Anderson and Yakuba Minteh, before the accounts deadline of June 30. Without those exits, Newcastle would have posted a loss of more than £105m ($142m) over a three-year period, incurring a points deduction. That would have been a disaster, impacting the club's development for years to come. So if there is no PSR threat and the pull of the Champions League is there, why hasn't Newcastle signed anybody yet? June 10 is the deadline for the early transfer window, designed to allow those clubs playing in the Club World Cup to strengthen before competing in the United States. But all clubs have had the opportunity to sign players. Newcastle supporters are growing in frustration at the lack of movement; but the club appears to have made domestic signings its priority. Newcastle United sporting director Paul Mitchell (right) and chief executive Darren Eales (left) ... More during the Premier League match at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton. Picture date: Sunday September 15, 2024. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images) Naturally, given the wealth of the Premier League and rival clubs not wanting to sell to each other, it is hard to do swift deals. Newcastle is also unwilling to be held to ransom. Sporting Director Paul Mitchell and CEO Darren Eales are both leaving this summer, too. But the biggest reason Newcastle is not ready to strike has been clear for a year. Last summer, after complying with PSR, the club tried and failed to recruit, which has only fuelled fan angst at the current situation. As bids for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi failed to lure the defender to St James' Park, Howe said something that has reverberated into this summer. 'If you're going to add players they have to push the group to new levels," Howe said on August 10, 2024. "That's what we are looking for — which is very difficult to find. There's not many players that will make us better.' Newcastle has already made enquiries for Brighton forward Joao Pedro and Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga. Neither club is keen to sell, and Newcastle must accept that it is facing a difficult situation if it wants to move ahead with those deals. Talks are underway over a £30m ($41m) move for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, with hope of progress over the next week by the time the window reopens. When clubs want its players, such as Manchester City which is interested in defender Tino Livramento, they are met with a tough stance. There are reports that Newcastle feels the fact it is owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund is increasing prices; that isn't the case, it is the reality of buying from rival clubs. Howe is correct in saying that Newcastle's squad is at such a high level that only a small group will improve it. But that is why scouting is so important, finding the right players without spending too much. While the Premier League is rich enough so clubs don't have to sell without huge profits, its standing as the best league in the world has created a myth that players are more valuable once they have proven they can play at that level. But that only feeds into the increasing of prices; Newcastle must be more creative in finding the right signings. This summer is different to any other; never before have so many clubs been so active this early in June. Pre-season in still weeks away, so fans would do well to remember that and stay calm. But through failing to sign anybody major since 2022, Newcastle has lost that immediate trust in the process from supporters. While rival clubs are signing players, there is a juxtaposition on Tyneside; officially, Newcastle is PSR issue free and able to spend, but players are going elsewhere and its board is about to break up. The momentum built is in jeopardy. There is plenty of time for that to change and no need to panic. But Newcastle is facing a tide of negativity if it doesn't act soon, because in the summer which is supposed to take the club to new heights, fans are concerned history will repeat itself.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Newcastle target rival Premier League chief for vacant sporting director role - as Magpies continue search for Paul Mitchell's successor
Nottingham Forest chief Ross Wilson is among the names in the frame for the sporting director vacancy at Newcastle, Mail Sport can reveal. Recruitment specialists Nolan Partners are leading the search for Paul Mitchell's replacement. He will leave at the end of June after less than a year in the role. Sources believe an appointment remains unlikely before then, but interviews are set to take place with several candidates. Wilson and former Arsenal assistant sporting director Jason Ayto are said to be among those who have had contact with Nolans. While no decision has been made and there are other names being considered, it is that of Wilson which appears to have some support internally. The 41-year-old has been Forest's sporting director and chief football officer since 2023 having previously held similar roles at Rangers and Southampton. He is well thought of within the game and is seen as a professional operator. Crucially, and this is the remit Nolans are working to, he has Premier League experience. Newcastle's owners are keen to learn by past mistakes, and the appointment of Mitchell by chief executive Darren Eales last summer was said to be rushed through after first choice Dougie Freedman turned down the club's offer. Mitchell is yet to sign a first-team player and his relationships with several staff have been uneasy from the point of his arrival. That is why the club will take their time in choosing the right successor, especially as Mitchell's predecessor, Dan Ashworth, also left abruptly for Manchester United last year. Ayto, 40, is another name mentioned in recent days, but it is not thought he yet has the experience for the role. In the meantime, recruitment chief Steve Nickson and assistant Andy Howe will assume greater responsibility, with Mitchell now less than three weeks from his departure date.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
North East Polish Festival: Newcastle event celebrates 'culture and cuisine'
Hundreds of people have gathered to eat food, listened to music and enjoy the first Polish festival of its kind in a North East Polish Festival at the Polish Centre on Maple Street in Newcastle hosted about 200 people from across the Daria Szymonowicz said the event helped to showcase her community."It's also a chance for the wider community to come and learn about our culture which we're very proud of - especially the food," she said. She said many Polish people in the region had lived there for many years."Thanks to being welcomed, thanks to feeling good and feeling like it's home we've been able to grow and can now showcase and share our talents and what we do with the local community," she said. Ms Szymonowicz previously told BBC Radio Newcastle that the festival was started by a group of Polish women who had formed a group on social media in event was a celebration of modern Polish culture, she said. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Newcastle confirm retained list with £15million signing released and two former England stars locked in contract talks
NEWCASTLE have confirmed that Jamal Lewis has been released. The left-back was a £15million signing from Norwich just five years ago. 1 Lewis, 27, made just 36 appearances for Newcastle over three season at the club. He has spent the last two campaigns on loan at Watford and Brazilian side Sao Paulo. Meanwhile, Newcastle also announced that Lloyd Kelly's move to Juventus has been made permanent. The versatile defender made the move to Turin in January on loan with an obligation to buy for £20m. Additionally, former England duo John Ruddy and Callum Wilson are both in talks over contract extensions. Both see their deals expire at the end of this month. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Sandro Tonali and the tactical tweak that changed the face of Newcastle's season
The 2024–25 season was undeniably one of the best in Newcastle's history. Not only did they clinch their first domestic trophy in 70 years after defeating Liverpool 2–1 to lift the Carabao Cup, but they also secured Champions League qualification for the second time in three years after edging out Aston Villa on goal difference. Advertisement However, heading into the festive period, things were looking very different for Eddie Howe's side. Despite still being in both domestic cups, a resounding 4–2 loss away at Brentford on December 7 left them 12th in the table, with seemingly nothing to play for in the league. But a run of nine straight wins in all competitions — including six in the league — transformed Newcastle's season. Unsurprisingly, it coincided with Sandro Tonali beginning to make his newfound No 6 role, — where he was first deployed against Crystal Palace on November 30 — his own. On the latest episode of Pod On The Tyne, Taylor Payne and George Caulkin discussed how pushing Tonali deeper changed the face of Newcastle's midfield and their season. A partial transcript has been edited for this article. The full episode is available on the 'Pod On The Tyne' feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Taylor: George, after a mixed start to the season, there was a remarkable uptick in form, consistency, attitude and application, and all over the pitch Newcastle seemed to kick into gear. That midfield rejig we touched on earlier was really the springboard for it all wasn't it? George: Yeah it was, and that had actually happened before results turned around, but only only just before they did. It was the 1-1 draw away at Crystal Palace where Tonali had been moved back into that deeper position. It's funny because we talk about it as being a defensive role, but Tonali still manages to run more than anybody else. So that idea of him just sitting in front of the back four, tidying things up and playing the ball simply, that's just not what he does. He's absolutely everywhere, that's the incredible thing about him. But it was such a big deal, and they saw signs in there that perhaps that was the answer. It took another major reset after Brentford away, and we all heard on this podcast how that loss affected Chris. I've never heard of a flatter or more broken Chris before. But then they were fortunate to play against a Leicester team after that who were so naive that day in mid-December, and were battered 4-0. They were precisely the opponents that Newcastle needed. Advertisement Having that week of total reset at the training ground was vital. Howe took all his players aside and tried to explain to them that what was happening wasn't acceptable. And that God forbid if any of the players wanted to leave, the only way they could do that was by playing well for Newcastle. He was also trying to get into their heads by showing them clips of where it was going wrong and starting again. The players themselves had a meeting, and they knew it wasn't right. Then finally when it clicked, they just didn't look back. But that run of games where they got nine wins in a row was extraordinary because it took them to mid-January, and by that time the season was beginning to look very different. Taylor: Steven Levy on X agrees with us, and he said, 'The moment of the season was when Howe saw the light and moved Tonali to play No. 6, everything changed from that point on.' George: I must say that there is this idea that Eddie Howe was reluctant to play Tonali in that position, and I honestly think that's unfair. When Tonali arrived at the start of the previous season, there was talk of Newcastle playing with a sort of double-pivot. The idea was that Tonali and Bruno were interchangeable, where one would go and the other would stay. Whether or not that would have come to fruition, we don't know because it wasn't working seamlessly at that point. But then Tonali was obviously out of the team for a while, so when he came back into the team this season it took him a while to adjust. To play in a position where you're going to end up running more than anybody else, you can't just do that straight away on day one. So it's taken him time to get his match fitness back. And running was one of the very specific things that Howe and his staff worked on with Tonali. There were specific things that the coaches were doing with Tonali to get him up to speed, Chris and I wrote about this earlier in the season. They took apart his running action and started again with it, which made him more efficient and changed his gate. So you're now left with a player who runs more than any other player in the Newcastle team, and more than anyone else in most other Premier League midfields. That has been massively beneficial for Newcastle. But to say that it was down to Eddie Howe to see the light about where he could play, that's only part of it. It's also about the player himself understanding what's being asked of him, and the changes to his technique that were implemented during his time out. So I just think it's slightly more rounded than that, but his impact this season can't be overstated. You can listen to full episodes of 'Pod On The Tyne' for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify (Top Photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
