It’s been a manic week or so at Newcastle United as they gear up for the 2024-25 Premier League season.
Beginning with last weekend, the Magpies were facing a Premier League points deduction as they frantically attempted to sell players in order to comply with Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) before the deadline on June 30. At the 11th hour, United could breath a sign of relief after offloading Yankuba Minteh to Brighton & Hove Albion and Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for a combined £68million.
Minteh left Tyneside without kicking a ball after he spent last season on loan at Feyenoord. Meanwhile, academy graduate Anderson was sold for a club-record £35m, equalling the total of Andy Carroll’s move to Liverpool in January 2011.
Arriving in the opposite direction was Greek goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos for an undisclosed fee. United also confirmed a one-year contract for veteran goalkeeper John Ruddy, who replaces Loris Karius as third choice after his contract expired at Birmingham City.
Monday (July 1) was also the day Lewis Hall and Lloyd Kelly officially joined the club. Hall spent last season on loan from Chelsea but joins permanently for an initial £28million, a club record fee paid for a teenager. Kelly arrived on a free transfer from AFC Bournemouth on a five-year contract.
Off the field, Newcastle and Manchester United finally reached an agreement over a compensation package for Dan Ashworth. And the Magpies have wasted no time in confirming Ashworth’s successor with former Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Monaco man Paul Mitchell taking up the sporting director position.
Further signings and departures will happen in the coming months but as things stand, here’s the 25-man Premier League squad Eddie Howe would likely name:
9. LW: Anthony Gordon -
Newcastle United's star boy! His 12 goals and 11 assists last term saw him crowned the club's Player of the Year. And excitingly, you still feel there is more to come. | Getty Images
10. LB: Matt Targett
Targett has become a somewhat forgotten man at Newcastle having last featured in November. United would open to a sale but given his injury problems, there might be many takers. | Getty Images
11. ST: Alexander Isak
Just about every club in the world would like to sign Isak but quite simply, the Swede isn't for sale. Scored 25 goals last season, becoming the first Newcastle player to do so since Alan Shearer. | Getty Images
12. LW: Harvey Barnes
Barnes netted some important goals for Newcastle last season but overall it proved to be a frustrating one after missing four months with a foot problem. Photo: Stu Forster