The takeover of Newcastle United from Mike Ashley to a consortium of PCP, the Reuben Brothers and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia was finally completed in October of 2021 much to the joy of Newcastle fans.
The Magpies had a busy January transfer window bringing in talents such as Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Matt Targett. However, with a reported budget close to over £90 million, these are some players Eddie Howe could bring to St James’ Park.
The Dutch defender is currently playing his football at Lille in Ligue 1 but was heavily linked with a move to Newcastle in January, with The Magpies having two bids rejected.
At only 22-years-old, Sven Botman has been a big figure in a Lille backline that has 10 clean sheets this Ligue 1 season and only 45 goals conceded. The Dutchman’s 24 Ligue 1 appearances and five Champions League appearances will have given him some valuable experience to bring to Newcastle.
Botman’s youth will bring some much-needed longevity to Howe’s Newcastle as he looks to build a team to challenge for European football and more in the foreseeable future.
The Aston Villa loanee has captured the hearts of the St James’ Park faithful in his short time with The Magpies, so triggering his £15 million option to buy clause would be an easy choice for boss Eddie Howe.
Targett moved to Newcastle during the January transfer window and has since played 14 games for The Magpies. Those games include nine wins, one draw and four losses - three of those coming against teams in the top five.
The rebuild at Newcastle would greatly benefit from Premier League experience, therefore acquiring the 26-year-old for future seasons would make sense for Howe and the new owners.
Another young player on the Newcastle radar is Benfica striker, Darwin Nunez. The 22-year-old shocked the Primeira Liga, with 26 goals and four assists in 28 appearances for third-placed Benfica.
Darwin Nunez even has a wealth of Champions League experience at only 22. In the ten appearances in the competition before Benfica were knocked out by finalists Liverpool, Nunez had an impressive six goals against tough opponents. Two against Liverpool, two against Barcelona, and a goal against Ajax and Bayern Munich.
The Uruguayan is the Primeira Liga's top scorer, scoring 20 goals more in the league than Newcastle’s current top scorer Callum Wilson who has six goals. A young goal-scorer is exactly what Newcastle need this summer.
Dean Henderson caught the eye of many Premier League fans in his time on loan at Sheffield United from 2018 to 2020 and could be the replacement for current goalkeeper Martin Dubravka who has become more injury-prone in recent seasons.
Henderson is currently the second choice goalkeeper at Manchester United behind David De Gea. The Englishman's stand out 2019/20 season saw Henderson keep 13 clean sheets in 36 appearances, helping The Blades to a ninth-place finish in the table.
The 25-year-old already has a lot of Premier League experience. A move for the Manchester United man seems like an easy choice for Howe, as it could bring consistency to the goalkeeping position for many years to come.
Currently, at Marseille, Boubacar Kamara is out of contract at the end of the season and could be an important acquisition for Newcastle.
Kamara has made 120 appearances in Ligue 1 for Marseille after being given his debut at only 17-years-old. He has also made appearances in European competitions like the Champions League and the Europa League.
The Frenchman operates as a defensive midfielder and would be key for Newcastle being able to play more attacking football. Kamara is yet another young player The Magpies are looking to bring to St James’ Park, the 22-year-old being a midfield signing for the future.
