5 Newcastle United players down for Eddie Howe | OneFootball

Eddie Howe missing some Newcastle United players?

What’s new? I hear you say.

This is a bit different though.

I am not talking about Newcastle United players missing due to injury, nor suspension.

I wanted to talk about something else altogether.

The five Newcastle United players that Eddie Howe finds himself down, due to what happened this summer.

These have been the first team signings made since these Newcastle United owners and Eddie Howe arrived.

January 2022

Trippier, Wood, Targett, Burn, Bruno

Summer 2022

Pope, Botman, Isak

January 2023

Gordon

Summer 2023

Tonali, Barnes, Livramento, Hall, Minteh

January 2024

No signings

Summer 2024

Kelly, Osula, Vlachodimos

That very first January 2022 transfer window was of course an emergency one.

With relegation looking all but a certainty due to the situation inherited mid-season, drastic action was needed, especially as the only Premier League level striker NUFC had, Callum Wilson, was injured during a 1-1 draw with Man U on 27 December 2021 and looked set to miss the rest of the season.

Anyway, I didn’t want to talk about that window specifically, I just thought worth pointing out how that initial one was a very different one to the norm, due to the circumstances.

Transfer windows

I would say with some confidence, that the plan since the takeover, has been to bring in three first team players each season.

This is what I think those in charge thought financially possible and enough to keep improving the pool of real first eleven contenders, from the Eddie Howe perspective.

Bring in three new signings each season who are better than what you have already got, or at least as good as your first eleven choices, players who you expect to be instantly challenging to be in the team.

In that January 2022 window, I would say Bruno, Trippier and Burn fitted that bill. Targett did a really good job in his initial loan spell but I think was always seen as more of a squad player moving forward. Whilst I think the Wood signing only happened due to the Wilson injury.

The following season, quite clearly in Summer 2022, the Pope, Isak and Botman signings were very definitely first team contenders.

Then summer 2023, it was Tonali, Barnes and Livramento who were the trio to challenge straight away. Hall and Minteh needing more time.

Yes, we also signed Gordon in January 2023 but as that Amazon documentary appeared to show, that was very much an opportunist extra signing when he became available as Everton needed to raise funds.

Since summer 2023, no Newcastle United players have arrived to challenge the first team.

Nobody in January 2024 and then just three budget squad signings this past summer.

To me, Eddie Howe needed three more first team contenders to arrive, instead he lost Minteh and Anderson.