The summer transfer window is open for business and it is expected to be a busy period for Newcastle United.
The Magpies’ hierarchy are keen to build on the momentum gained during an impressive performance during the second half of the Premier league season and add further quality to Eddie Howe’s squad.
Moves for the likes of Lille’s highly-rated Dutch defender Sven Botman and Reims forward Hugo Ekitike are work-in-progress as United look to add to last week’s permanent signing of Aston Villa defender Matt Targett.
There have been numerous eye-catching names linked with a move to Tyneside as the Magpies look to replicate the success of the January transfer window.
But the recent history of the club also suggests that caution is required after previous managers and owners played a part in squandering millions of pounds of signings that failed to make an impact during their time at St James Park.
NewcastleWorld takes a look back at 15 signings that failed to deliver over the last three decades.
1. Stephane Guivarch - £3.5m from Auxerre
August 30, 1998, fresh from picking up a winners medal with France from the World Cup, Guivarch netted 25 minutes into his debut v Liverpool. Newcastle were already 2-0 down, going on to lose 4-1. He didn’t last too much longer and certainly didn’t look like a player that had won a World Cup just months earlier. | Getty Images Photo: Shaun Botterill
2. Remy Cabella - £12m from Montpellier
After making a £9million move from Montpellier, Cabella spent one unsuccessful season on Tyneside. He did have a successful career back in France with Marseille and Saint-Etienne after leaving England however, but he was released by Russian side Krasnodar earlier this year before returning to his first club, Montpellier. Photo: Paul Gilham
3. Florian Thauvin - £12m from Marseille
Newcastle clearly had not learned from their unsuccessful decision to bring in Remy Cabella as they moved for Thauvin a season later. Thauvin’s failures at Newcastle were only accentuated by his great career at Marseille when he departed and his World Cup winner’s medal which he picked up in 2018. Currently with Mexican club Tigres. Photo: Stu Forster
4. Siem de Jong - £6m from Ajax
De Jong joined Newcastle in 2014 but, following relegation in 2016, he then joined PSV on loan before leaving permanently to join Ajax a year later. Injury problems plagued his time in England and supporters never got to see the Dutchman play regularly. NUFC stats: 26 games, 2 goals, 0 assists Photo: BEN STANSALL