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New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Newcastle squad audit: Champions League quality is needed. Who makes way and who stays?
Eddie Howe may insist he does not envisage a 'squad overhaul' at Newcastle United, but a busy summer of transfer activity is expected at St James' Park. Around four first-team additions are being sought, while several players' careers appear to have reached their natural conclusion. Yet despite Newcastle being at this critical juncture, they risk having a vacuum of leadership, with Darren Eales, the CEO, set to leave for health reasons, and Paul Mitchell, the sporting director, departing on June 30. Advertisement Howe has made his impatience for activity clear, but just who will lead negotiations in their absence? The Athletic has conducted an in-depth audit of Newcastle's squad by position, looking at which players they are determined to keep and which face uncertain futures… Nick Pope (contracted until 2026) Martin Dubravka (2026); John Ruddy (2025); Mark Gillespie (2025) No Premier League club employed more goalkeepers than Newcastle last season, which feels remarkable given the lingering uncertainty in a position that remains a priority for strengthening. Having tried to buy Burnley's James Trafford last summer, the 22-year-old remains their top target. He is far closer to their desired age profile and is better equipped to play out with his feet. Pope, who has been linked with Leeds United, remains Newcastle's first choice and is an excellent shot-stopper, but he is now 33, his distribution out of feet is a weakness, and he has been hampered by injury. Howe, though, loves him and is keen to retain Pope and build competition. During Pope's absence last winter, Howe persuaded Dubravka to commit his immediate future to Tyneside — he had interest from Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia — but having lost his place again, the 36-year-old Slovakia goalkeeper may be open to moving. The contribution of 38-year-old John Ruddy and Mark Gillespie, 33, is valued, where both help set standards, but the pair are out of contract. There are big decisions to be made, with Fraser Forster and Tim Krul linked as third- or fourth-choice goalkeepers who would provide an additional 'club-trained player' to aid Newcastle's compliance with UEFA's homegrown rules for the Champions League. Odysseas Vlachodimos (2029) Newcastle would be receptive to offers for a 31-year-old goalkeeper they had not been seeking but were obliged to sign for an extraordinary £20million ($27.1m) last summer — the price of selling Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest as Newcastle struggled to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Vlachodimos has made one substitute appearance and was available in each of the past two windows, but chose to stay. Who might be interested in him is another question, and a loan exit appears most likely given the knock-on effect selling Vlachodimos in a cut-price deal may have on Newcastle's PSR (given his fee was amortised over his contract). Sven Botman (2027); Dan Burn (2027); Fabian Schar (2026) Burn and Schar were stalwarts throughout 2024-25. Burn was a strong candidate to be The Athletic's Newcastle player of the season, after scoring the iconic opening goal in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool and then immediately making his debut for England. The 33-year-old, whose leadership is vital, was rewarded with an improved contract and is continuing to develop. Advertisement Like Burn, Botman is naturally left-sided and, at 25, is significantly younger. After multiple knee injuries, the Dutchman is yet to return to his best, but his quality is inarguable and he has been tried as a right-sided option, too. Schar remains integral, having extended his contract until 2026 in April. But he is also 33, and right-sided centre-half is an area Howe has long sought reinforcements. Given his skill in possession and ability to pass long, replacing Schar will not be an easy — or cheap — task. Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi was the subject of a long (and failed) pursuit in August and is still a target. Jamaal Lascelles (2026) As The Athletic revealed in April, Newcastle have extended their club captain's contract until next summer. As with Botman, Lascelles has been recovering from a long-term knee injury and has not featured since March 2024. While Howe greatly values the 31-year-old's off-field influence — Lascelles remains club captain and Bruno Guimaraes, the on-field skipper, and Kieran Trippier, the vice-captain, chose to lift the League Cup as a trio with the centre-back — his pathway to greater playing time will be blocked further if Newcastle make the signing they desire. Lewis Hall (2029); Tino Livramento (2028) Until he succumbed to a foot injury in February, Hall had arguably been Newcastle's most consistent performer last season and was certainly their most-improved player. After a difficult first year, the 20-year-old left-back made the position his own, earning senior England recognition. Livramento began the season at right-back and endured moments of difficulty, but the 22-year-old deputised for Hall and grew in confidence. When the pair were signed in 2023, the idea was that Newcastle were future-proofing the full-back positions, a notion which now appears to be reaching fruition. Newcastle are determined to rebuff interest in Livramento, with some of Europe's top clubs casting envious glances. Advertisement Kieran Trippier (2026); Emil Krafth (2026); Leo Shahar (unknown); Alex Murphy (unknown) Trippier was a statement signing for Howe post-takeover, lifting standards as well as the quality of the team. A testing spell off the pitch has coincided with Trippier losing his status as an automatic starter and with Guimaraes now playing captain, the 34-year-old has been open to seeking a fresh start. Whether at Wembley or in the Premier League, Trippier reminded everyone of his ability in the second half of the season, even if he is less robust physically now. Howe loves him, but can he persuade the right-back to stay for another season? Krafth is also much admired for his quiet, unselfish professionalism and versatility — he is solid at full-back or centre-half — but in first-team terms, he is a stand-in rather than a standout and, at 30, he is not going to improve exponentially or increase in value. Which is different to saying that he is not valued; Champions League football will stretch Howe's resources. Murphy, the 20-year-old, was loaned to Bolton Wanderers in January and has struggled to really break into the Newcastle side. Shahar, the 18-year-old, has trained with the senior side since February and has impressed, and the early idea seems to be for the full-back to stay, play in the UEFA Youth League and continue to develop under Howe, before a potential loan in January. Matt Targett (2026); Jamal Lewis (2025); Harrison Ashby (unknown) Theoretically, Targett has been available for several windows, but the 29-year-old remains a dependable performer when available. Fitness problems limited him to five appearances last season and should a decent offer be made, he may leave. Lewis' contract is up and the 27-year-old left-back, whose left-field loan to Sao Paulo was cut short due to injury, will depart. Ashby, the 23-year-old right-back, spent 2024-25 on loan at Queens Park Rangers and does not appear to be part of Howe's plans. Bruno Guimaraes (2028); Sandro Tonali (2028); Joelinton (2028); Lewis Miley (2029) Midfield is Newcastle's strong suit and the one area where they have depth and options. In 27-year-old Guimaraes, 25-year-old Tonali, and 28-year-old Joelinton, Howe possesses a midfield three which combines athleticism, energy, power, aggression and supreme quality. They may just be the most adept trio in the Premier League. Advertisement After a breakthrough campaign in 2023-24 when he took advantage of the team's crippling injury list, Miley endured a more frustrating 2024-25, but the 19-year-old is still viewed as fundamental to Newcastle's future. There will be options for him to broaden his experience on loan, but this is unlikely to be countenanced. The club would not welcome interest in any of this quartet and are confident that they would be able to reject it anyway. Joe Willock (2027); Joe White (unknown) In spite of his ability to carry the ball forward — a point of difference from his fellow midfielders — Willock has never quite established himself as integral, at least in part because of his struggles with injury. Nobody is pushing for the 25-year-old to leave, but offers may have to be considered for PSR purposes. A fresh start might suit everybody. After a successful spell at MK Dons, it is unclear what will happen with White. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder is unlikely to be part of Howe's first-team plans, so a loan or exit may be forthcoming. Sean Longstaff (2026); Isaac Hayden (2026) Howe resurrected Longstaff's career and his constant running and willingness to do the ugly things were vital. As Newcastle's style has developed and with Tonali excelling in a deeper midfield role, Longstaff has fallen out of contention. The 27-year-old had options to leave in January and it now feels likely he will go; as an academy graduate, any fee would represent pure profit, which will help Newcastle's PSR position. The complication in letting the midfielder leave is UEFA's homegrown rules, given Longstaff is their only senior 'club-trained player'. Hayden has been surplus to requirements during most of Howe's tenure. The 30-year-old went to Portsmouth in January, where he played 17 times, but a permanent exit may be negotiated. Alexander Isak (2028); Jacob Murphy (2027); William Osula (2029) Isak is Newcastle's jewel in the crown, a player coveted by most clubs but whose departure would also be most keenly felt. Although his fitness and form drifted in 2024-25, he became the first Newcastle player to score 20 Premier League goals in successive seasons. Tying the 25-year-old down to an enhanced contract is a priority; an already complicated negotiation has become even more challenging due to Mitchell and Eales' departures, too. Advertisement Nobody else can do what Isak does, but Newcastle lack serious backup at centre-forward. Osula's potential is rated by the coaching staff and he clearly has aggression and promise, but the 21-year-old still looks raw (and maybe better suited to a wide-forward berth). A loan is not entirely out of the question. Murphy enjoyed the most productive season of his career, scoring eight league goals and providing 12 assists, the most behind Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. A right-winger is highly likely to arrive, but Howe ideally wants to retain the 30-year-old's skillset and competitive instincts. Anthony Gordon (2029); Harvey Barnes (2028); Trevan Sanusi (unknown) Lumping Gordon and Barnes here is a little forced, but the feeling remains that two into one doesn't go. Gordon, 24, was brilliant for Newcastle in 2023-24, but last season was laborious from the start, with the England player unsettled by summer interest from Liverpool, then suspended for the cup final, before struggling to displace Barnes. For his part, Barnes finally came good, but both the 27-year-old and Gordon, who is a spiky character, are much less effective when played away from the left wing. Having this depth is useful theoretically, but it makes Newcastle's squad lopsided. Howe admires both players, but what this summer brings will be interesting. Will Gordon look elsewhere, or will Barnes attract offers, which may be helpful PSR-wise? Sanusi trained with the senior squad pre-Christmas, before suffering an injury, and it is probably still too soon for the tricky 18-year-old winger to be loaned out. Callum Wilson (2025); Garang Kuol (2026); Sean Neave (unknown) Wilson has been a fine servant and regular source of goals since his arrival in 2020, but injuries have taken a toll — he didn't score in the league last season — and the club have decided not to take up an option to extend his contract by another year. While there have been talks with Wilson's representatives about renegotiating terms on a performance-related basis, the 33-year-old is likely to leave. Advertisement At 18, Neave already has a League Cup winners' medal, despite having yet to make a first-team appearance. Howe likes the versatile 18-year-old forward, who has an eye for goal, and he may be kept on Tyneside for at least the first half of 2025-26. Kuol, meanwhile, is into the final year of his deal and, despite the 20-year-old Australia international enjoying an impressive season for Newcastle's Under-21s, a permanent exit this summer probably suits all parties. (Top photos: Matt Targett and Callum Wilson, both by Stu Forster via Getty Images)
The Sun
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Sam Fender lands huge deal to be the face of iconic sports brand
SAM FENDER is making like Oasis by signing a deal with Adidas to help flog their clobber – all while promoting his People Watching tour. Insiders tell me the Geordie singer filmed scenes with the Newcastle United team outside St James' Park yesterday. Noel and Liam Gallagher have also shot a new ad campaign with the sports brand, which will make up part of a video campaign shown to fans inside the stadiums on their reunion tour. My mole told me: 'Sam has signed a big deal with Adidas to be part of a cool campaign with the Newcastle squad. 'It'll coincide with his tour, which kicks off at the London Stadium on June 6, before he plays three more sold-out shows at St James' Park. 'They got in 120 extras to act as fans for the video, which I'm told will include Sam hobnobbing with some of his favourite players. 'It's a really clever move by Adidas to get not only the Gallagher brothers on board but Sam too. "It's going to look epic.' Sam has just finished his first run of dates in Europe and is taking a short break before he hits stadiums across the country here. He is one of the nicest lads in the industry, so I'm thrilled to see him riding so high. Alan Shearer's daughter Hollie sends fans wild as she supports Sam Fender on stage at Newcastle legend's foundation ball 10 KYLIE'S ON WINE FORM KYLIE MINOGUE was in party mood as she celebrated a double whammy of successes – plus her 57th birthday. Wearing a floaty pink dress, she marked the fifth anniversary of her Kylie Minogue Wines brand, which has sold more than 20million bottles, with the bash at The Roof Gardens in Kensington, West London. 10 Among the guests were The Streets' Mike Skinner and fashion designer Conner Ives. It was the evening after the second of her four sold-out shows at the O2 Arena. Her Tension Tour will continue at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena tonight. Kylie unveiled a limited-edition Cotes de Provence bottle of rosé at the party, and was joined by producer The Blessed Madonna in the DJ booth for a performance of their tune Edge Of Saturday Night. 10 10 CHESNEY HAWKES is building on his renewed popularity after reaching the Celebrity Big Brother final – by announcing an extensive tour for 2026. The One And Only singer will kick off his 15-date Smash It To Pieces tour in March, with tickets for the shows across the country on sale now. NURSE VID CALLS FOR BLUD FLO YUNGBLUD called on his good pal Florence Pugh to appear in the video for new single Zombie, which drops today. My exclusive snap shows the pair hanging out behind the scenes of the video, in which Florence plays a struggling nurse pushed to her limits dealing with the pressure of the job. It is among a string of new releases, including Miley Cyrus 's album Something Beautiful, Akon's collaboration with Josh Ross called Drunk Right Now (Na Na Na) and Ava Max's empowering single Lovin Myself. And Mabel is back with a single, January 19, from a self-titled mixtape which will be out on July 25. She said: 'The tape is all new music made in the last few months with some of my nearest and dearest. 'I just wrote it without too much thought but afterwards I realised it's kind of a toxic love letter to my ten years in the industry.' METALLICA's upcoming European and UK tour has given them a huge boost. Their record, The Black Album, has gone platinum 20 times, with Master Of Puppets going eight times platinum. It comes ahead of two major shows at the London Stadium on July 3 and 5 next year. Sounds like they're ready to rock. DELTA'S STATION SURPRISE DELTA GOODREM is making full use of her time in the UK after playing two shows in London earlier this month. The Australian singer held an impromptu performance at St Pancras International, playing the train station's public piano for shocked onlookers. The piano was donated by Andrew Lloyd Webber and has been played by artists including Rod Stewart and Alicia Keys. Delta said: 'As a piano girl, I've always been drawn to a good piano sing-along and every piano has a story. "There's something so special about gathering around music and watching it bring people together, even if for a few minutes.' FIFTH TO FOUR BUT NO CAM FIFTH HARMONY are in talks to reunite – but without Camila Cabello. She has forged a successful solo career with four albums since quitting the group in 2016. Meanwhile the others – Lauren Jauregui, Normani, Ally Brooke and Dinah Jane – have struggled to have the same sort of impact. Now they are making plans to reunite, according to US magazine The Hollywood Reporter, which claims they are also working on a documentary about their return. That is expected to culminate in a 2026 tour, marking ten years since their most successful album – 7/27. The girl group were put together on The X Factor USA in 2012 and went on to have a string of hits including Worth It and Work From Home. Despite selling more than 30million records, they announced a hiatus in 2018 after struggling to keep the momentum going following Camila's exit. There was a mini reunion at the weekend when Ally, Lauren and Dinah were pictured together on a girls' night out at a basketball game in Los Angeles. Hinting that plans could be afoot, Dinah shared a video on Instagram of them singing along to their track That's My Girl when it was played at the game. She wrote: 'When this song randomly plays on the speakers & we can't help ourselves but bust out singing it. 'Haven't heard this song in a min . . . 'But, I think it's slowly coming back to us . . . ' SHAKIRA's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (women no longer cry) tour is smashing records. Her 21 shows in Mexico and South America pulled in $130million, overtaking Karol G's record of $125million with 29 shows. The haul makes Shakira's Latin American leg the highest-earning by a female performer in history. Her tour, now in North America, is the second-biggest of the year so far, according to Boxscore, with Shakira performing to more than 1 million fans. Coldplay top the gross earnings list, with $142 million and 1.3million tickets sold so far this year.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Bruce Springsteen hailed for 'life-saving' $20,000 gift to striking miners in the north-east of England in the midst of sweeping pit closures
Rock veteran Bruce Springsteen has been hailed as a 'hero' after his 'life-saving' $20,000 donation to striking miners was revealed in a new documentary. In the BBC show, When Bruce Springsteen Came To Britain, it is revealed the 75-year-old invited women from miners' support groups to his show at Newcastle United's St James' Park stadium in 1985, amid sweeping pit closures across the country. Juliana Heron, who ran a support group of wives of miners faced with losing their jobs, joked in the feature that she was initially reluctant to attend the stadium as she supported Newcastle's rivals Sunderland, before her friend Anne Suddick was presented with the cheque. She explained: 'I got a phone call off Anne Suddick, she was the kingpin for the… support group. 'She says, 'Juliana, do you fancy going to a concert?' and I said, 'what concert?' She says, 'it's Bruce Springsteen', I says, 'well, who's Bruce Springsteen?' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'I says, 'it'd be difficult for me to go in there as a lifelong supporter of Sunderland football club, I'll cross myself when I go in', but I've got to say, I'll remember that day for the rest of my life. 'During the interval, this man tapped Anne on the shoulder, and he says, 'could you please come and meet Bruce Springsteen?' 'So she went in, and she was about half-an-hour anyway, she comes back, and she sits down. 'She says, 'you'll never believe this, look', and she just handed this cheque that says $20,000. She says, 'yes, it's for the… support group in Northumberland off Bruce Springsteen'. 'I says, 'wait, he doesn't know us', she says, 'yes, but he knows what we're doing'. 'He's a hero to us, he didn't do it for publicity. He did it because he wanted to do it, and that would have helped a great deal in the support groups. 'It was absolutely life-saving, it was life-saving.' Speaking about his support for the miners, Springsteen said in the documentary: 'My parents were working class people and I watched them struggle their whole lives. 'I'd been reading about it (the strike) in the newspapers and so it was just something that felt it would be a good thing to do. 'It wasn't a big thing, it was just a good thing to do at the time.' Beginning his career in the 1960s, Springsteen has gone on to have 12 UK top 10 albums and four UK top 10 singles. He is best known for songs such as Born In The USA, Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark, and Born To Run. Even as his fame and wealth have soared over the decades, Springsteen has retained the voice of the working class' balladeer, often weighing in on politics - most notably when he was a regular presence on Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In May, his music and public statements have ended up as particularly pointed and contentious. At a concert in Manchester, England, Springsteen denounced President Donald Trump's politics, calling him an 'unfit president' leading a 'rogue government' of people who have 'no concern or idea for what it means to be deeply American.' 'The America I love, the America I´ve written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration,' Springsteen said in words that he included on a digital EP he released a few days later. Trump shot back and called Springsteen highly overrated. 'Never liked him, never liked his music or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he´s not a talented guy - just a pushy, obnoxious JERK,' he wrote on social media. The full programme, When Bruce Springsteen Came To Britain, will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at 9.30pm on May 31.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Our review of the season part three: The goals
Then there were the hat-tricks. Makeshift striker Dango Ouattara starred in a 5-0 rout of Nottingham Forest, which ultimately improved the goal difference enough to pip Brentford to ninth place. And Justin Kluivert hit two trebles on the road, with a historic hat-trick of penalties at Wolves, before gunning down Newcastle to score more league goals at St James' Park in one game than his father Patrick managed in an entire season on context, that 4-1 win at Newcastle on 18 January was the champagne moment of an unforgettable season. The Magpies went into that game on a run of nine successive wins, being talked about as title contenders, with Alexander Isak on a red-hot streak of 11 goals in his past eight league could only name a patched-up XI with players out of position and a threadbare bench of development squad players, the six outfield subs boasting only four substitute league appearances for the Cherries between them. The omens were not good for the fans who had left their homes in the early hours to make the longest journey of the season for a Saturday lunchtime those fans were treated to a breathtaking performance to live long in the memory. Isak did not get a kick. Even some Newcastle diehards I spoke to after the game hailed it as the best away performance they had seen at St James' Park in the field, the Cherries have a new state-of-the-art training ground – and owner Bill Foley chose its opening ceremony to announce that a deal had been reached to buy back Vitality Stadium, which had been sold and leased back two decades earlier when the financial wolves were years ago, Foley promised European football within five years. While a top-seven place was tantalisingly out of reach in 2024-25, this Bournemouth team have made a habit of shattering glass ceilings - and they are not done just yet.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Bruce Springsteen hailed for `life-saving´ $20,000 gift to striking miners in the north-east of England in the midst of sweeping pit closures
Rock veteran Bruce Springsteen has been hailed as a 'hero' after his 'life-saving' 20,000 dollar donation to striking miners was revealed in a new documentary. In the BBC show, When Bruce Springsteen Came To Britain, it is revealed the 75-year-old invited women from miners' support groups to his show at Newcastle United's St James' Park stadium in 1985, amid sweeping pit closures across the country. Juliana Heron, who ran a support group of wives of miners faced with losing their jobs, joked in the feature that she was initially reluctant to attend the stadium as she supported Newcastle's rivals Sunderland, before her friend Anne Suddick was presented with the cheque. She explained: 'I got a phone call off Anne Suddick, she was the kingpin for the… support group. 'She says, "Juliana, do you fancy going to a concert?" and I said, "what concert?" She says, "it's Bruce Springsteen", I says, "well, who's Bruce Springsteen?" From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'I says, "it'd be difficult for me to go in there as a lifelong supporter of Sunderland football club, I'll cross myself when I go in", but I've got to say, I'll remember that day for the rest of my life. 'During the interval, this man tapped Anne on the shoulder, and he says, "could you please come and meet Bruce Springsteen?" So she went in, and she was about half-an-hour anyway, she comes back, and she sits down. 'She says, "you'll never believe this, look", and she just handed this cheque that says $20,000. She says, "yes, it's for the… support group in Northumberland off Bruce Springsteen". 'I says, "wait, he doesn't know us", she says, "yes, but he knows what we're doing". 'He's a hero to us, he didn't do it for publicity. He did it because he wanted to do it, and that would have helped a great deal in the support groups. 'It was absolutely life-saving, it was life-saving.' Speaking about his support for the miners, Springsteen said in the documentary: 'My parents were working class people and I watched them struggle their whole lives. 'I'd been reading about it (the strike) in the newspapers and so it was just something that felt it would be a good thing to do. 'It wasn't a big thing, it was just a good thing to do at the time.' Beginning his career in the 1960s, Springsteen has gone on to have 12 UK top 10 albums and four UK top 10 singles, he is best known for songs such as Born In The USA, Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark, and Born To Run. The full programme, When Bruce Springsteen Came To Britain, will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at 9.30pm on May 31.
