Newcastle United Sensible Transfer Targets: Summer 2024

With the 2024 summer transfer window only a few short months, it's easy to say 'Spend all the money', but Newcastle United as a football club still needs to be sensible due to 'Financial Fair Play'.

With that in mind, let's look at some sensible transfer deals the club could do between July and September.

Newcastle will spend money in the summer window, that much we know for sure, and we might even spend to the level we pointed out in this article. Still, the club seemingly needs to bring in a lot of players, so a more measured approach could be in order.

We're going to base this article on the club needing players in the following positions:

• Goalkeeper
• Centre-back
• Full-back
  
• Centre Midfielder
• Right-winger
• Striker

James Trafford (GK)

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There are a lot of options in goal, and Newcastle have been linked to a number of them already.

Just today we've been linked with another. Plus, in the summer, we will no doubt be one of the clubs linked to Aaron Ramsdale. However, we think whoever Newcastle sign will be playing number two to Nick Pope for at least one more season. For that reason, we're going to suggest Burnley stopper James Trafford.

We're happy to admit that Trafford has had a rather less-than-impressive season. After his heroics in the England U21 squad last summer, many had tipped him for big things and Burnley were quick to pull the trigger. It's been a rough season for his side, however, with Trafford likely to be heading down to the Championship next season.

The 21-year-old signed directly out of Manchester City's academy for £17 million, and it would likely cost Newcastle a similar figure to get him out of Burnley. Man City have a buy-back clause in Trafford's contract, though it is rumoured to be nearly £40m.

While Trafford hasn't had a great 2023/24 campaign, his numbers indicate a keeper who's being left massively exposed by his defence. His distribution and positioning will be what could attract Howe to him, with passing out from the back—and just kicking in general— being a clear issue in Pope's game.

Jacob Greaves (CB)

Jacob Greaves is having a standout season right now for Hull City in the Championship and he's destined to spend next season in the Premier League.

Greaves has played 36 times in this campaign, scoring twice and getting four assists. But his stats have been way above the 'normal' level for a Championship defender. Compared to other centre-backs, Greaves is in the top 90th percentile for:

• Aerials won
• Assists
• Passes
• Progressive passes
• Shot-creating actions
• Touches

The key for Newcastle will be how well he moves the ball around from the back. Schär and Botman are key for us in defence due to their ball-playing ability, but while Jamaal Lascelles is solid enough defensively, he doesn't offer much in possession.

In Greaves, however, we would gain a player who certainly does, albeit at a Championship level. But at just 23, he has plenty of time to learn his trade at the club and learn from our existing centre-back cohort.

Greaves is currently being linked with Everton, who are looking for a cheap alternative to replace Branthwaite who is likely to leave in the Summer.

Lewis Hall (LB)

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Look, Lewis Hall is a Newcastle Player, and all reports seem to indicate that he will sign next season once this magical clause is triggered. Hall is, undoubtedly, one of the most promising left-backs in English football, if not European football and he would be a dream signing for many clubs.

So, we're taking the easy option here and picking him, but we truly think he's a special prospect, and maybe under Howe we'll see more of him next season.

For now, reports seem to suggest that Howe just doesn't trust him defensively, and it's an area of the pitch that Howe has proven time and time again he isn't keen to take risks with. Although we might argue that picking Dan Burn at left-back over and over is quite a risk in itself...

Amadou Onana (CM)

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When we say sensible, we don't necessarily mean cheap and Amadou Onana surely wouldn't be cheap.

The Belgian international is attracting a lot of interest already and, regardless of what happens with Everton's final league position, the club's financial situation might force their hand as with Anthony Gordon.

While it does look like Joelinton will stay beyond the Summer, we need more steel in our midfield and Onana would give us that. At just 22, he's already got a lot of experience in the Premier League, and his stats for Everton have been solid, given how poor the Toffees have been.

While we've intentionally avoided offering alternatives thus far, Philip Billing of Bournemouth could also be an option here. He won't be as 'sexy' a signing, but with the obvious links to Howe, he's a possible target.

Roony Bardghji (RW)

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Bardghji has exploded into the spotlight this season after his heroic display against Manchester United in the Champions League.

He's become a starter at Danish side FC Copenhagen this season, appearing 19 times and scoring seven goals. The 18-year-old was born in Syria, but has represented Sweden at every level thus far, and will likely have the pick of clubs in the summer.

The key for Newcastle is that we can offer him a potential starting berth. With Almirón likely sold in the summer, and Murphy simply not good enough to be a regular starter, in Bardhgji we could have the right side of our attack sewn up for years to come.

He has the potential to be Hatem Ben Arfa-esque, though hopefully without all of the drawbacks.

Youssoufa Moukoko (ST)

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We're in a fairly good position on the striker front. In Isak, we have a world-class striker, but he's not had a brilliant injury record so far. This is exacerbated by the fact Wilson, another sick note, is his number two. Wilson is very likely to be moved on in the summer, so at least one more striker needs to be brought in.

Howe has previously stated that he likes a 'forward that can play across the front three'. Gordon is a great example of this, and we think Newcastle will sign another player in this mould. However, we want to add a pure striker here, which is why we've gone for Youssoufa Moukoko of Borussia Dortmund.

Moukoko has been at BVB since 2016 and at just 19 has already amassed 70 appearances for the first team. That said, he's still struggling for minutes this season.

The German international is undoubtedly a talented player and given the spot as the number two to Isak he could flourish. There's a slight issue with his injury record, however, with him having missed numerous games in each of the past seasons. It might be that Howe wants someone more robust than Moukoko and it might be that the alternative option was another signed by our head coach at Bournemouth...