Newcastle can repeat Guimaraes masterclass by signing £60m “top talent”
Newcastle United have enjoyed brilliant success in the transfer market in recent years, with the business allowing them to catapult into European contention for the first time in a generation.
The Saudi PIF completed their takeover of the club in late 2021, investing over £400m in the playing squad which has seen a huge turnaround in results and a vastly improved Premier League standing as a result.
The Magpies finished fourth under Eddie Howe’s guidance in 2022/23, before dropping to a seventh-placed finish in the recent campaign, with injuries plaguing his side for most of the season.
However, despite the injuries, many players have flourished once again, including Alexander Isak, who finished as the club’s top scorer once again for the second consecutive term.
As a result of missing out on a European place, Howe will want to strengthen his side and provide squad depth to avoid a repeat of 2023/24, with the boss already targeting one player to bolster his ranks.
Newcastle interested in £60m talent to partner Isak and Gordon
In 2023/24, the Magpies had a pretty similar pair within their attacking trio, as Isak and Anthony Gordon started 61 games between them in England’s top flight.
However, the right-hand side was up for grabs, with Miguel Almiron, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy all battling it out for a starting role alongside the deadly duo.
The club are trying to find a solution to complete their attack and subsequently registering interest in Crystal Palace wide man Michael Olise.
According to iNews, the Magpies are aiming to make three or four “high impact” signings, with the Frenchman on their list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window.
Olise has enjoyed an excellent season under Oliver Glasner, scoring ten goals and providing six assists in his 19 outings in the Premier League – an average of a goal contribution every 1.18 matches during 2023/24.
Howe’s side aren’t alone in the battle to sign the 22-year-old, with Chelsea and Manchester United also credited with interest in the forward according to other reports.
The Eagles are demanding a fee of £60m for his signature this summer and should Newcastle fork out the money for his services, it would be very similar to another deal the club conducted under the PIF’s guidance.
Newcastle can repeat Guimaraes masterclass
Rewind back to January 2022, Newcastle completed a £40m move for Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from French side Lyon – a deal that raised eyebrows all over the Premier League.
The deal was a huge one, especially considering the club were battling relegation that season and featuring in no European competitions but, their ambition and pitch saw the Magpies win the race for his signature.
Guimaraes has proven to be an excellent addition since his move to St James’, with his form in the black and white of the club seeing him linked with a jaw-dropping £100m move to Arsenal and Manchester City.
The iNews article states that there are two ways the club can convince more top players to move to Tyneside, paying over the going rate and providing a clear pathway to the Champions League.
Olise, who’s been dubbed as a “top talent” by analyst EBL, could easily be the next Newcastle signing to catapult the Magpies back into the world’s biggest club competition and potentially make the club a hefty profit in the process.
He has the ability to nail down the right-wing position under Howe, with the project at Newcastle arguably more attractive than at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, with the two sides enduring managerial uncertainty and the other potentially finding themselves in hot water with their erratic spending under Todd Boehly.
Whilst they may not be in a European competition for 2024/25, Olise can take inspiration from the likes of Isak and Guimaraes with their upturn in form since their respective moves.
Any move to Tyneside would see the 22-year-old benefit from consistent minutes, allowing him to take his own game to the next level – as it has with Guimaraes – whilst becoming a spearhead in the Magpies’ European ambitions.
