Who Newcastle United could sign ahead of Champions League campaign

Newcastle have qualified for the Champions League, and with that will come a summer of spending. In just 20 months, the Magpies have gone from being in the Premier League relegation zone to booking their place in next season’s Champions League.

The investment since October 2021, when their new Saudi owners bought 80% of the club, has seen €286.4m spent in three windows. Eddie Howe arrived and the turnaround in results was immediate.

The most expensive signing was Swedish striker Alexander Isak, who arrived from Real Sociedad for €70m. One of the first, and perhaps most pivotal signings, was Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon for €42.1m. The signing of goalkeeper Nick Pope from Burnley for €11.5m was absolutely fundamental as the club strengthened defensively.

Big-name signings for Champions League

Newcastle’s return to Europe’s top club competition has them linked with some very illustrious names. Neymar, Joao Felix, Harry Kane, Samu Chukwueze, James Maddison, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohammed Kudus and Eberechi Eze have all been mentioned as possible signings.

One thing is for sure: Newcastle will be in Pot 4 of the Champions League draw on 7 August. That will make them a potential opponent for all the big teams and, therefore, a real threat. It could be a busy summer at St James’ Park in terms of signings, which would enable Howe’s side to function across several fronts.