5 players set to leave Newcastle this summer as £30M transfer lined up for £100k/wk star
The winds of change are blowing through St James’ Park as Newcastle United prepare for a significant summer transition, with several players approaching contract expiration dates and one major transfer already in motion.
While the club has secured short-term extensions for Fabian Schar, Martin Dubravka, and Emil Krafth, uncertainty surrounds numerous other squad members as Eddie Howe’s side balances financial sustainability with sporting ambition.
The Newcastle manager remained characteristically coy when pressed about further contract negotiations, offering only a cryptic “Who knows?” accompanied by a knowing smile.
This secrecy aligns with the club’s recent approach – key figures like Kieran Trippier, Howe himself, and Jamaal Lascelles have all signed extensions without official announcements.
Recent reports indicate Lascelles’ deal actually runs through 2026, while Callum Wilson’s contract contains a club option for extension.
Wilson’s situation encapsulates Newcastle’s dilemma. The 33-year-old striker, limited to just one Premier League start this injury-plagued season, remains a respected figure in Howe’s setup but represents a significant wage investment for a player whose availability has become increasingly sporadic.
With Newcastle pushing for European qualification, the club must decide whether sentiment outweighs pragmatism for an aging forward struggling to maintain fitness.
Lascelles presents a different challenge. The club captain continues rehabilitation from a 13-month ACL absence, with Howe cautiously optimistic about a training return before season’s end but noncommittal about competitive action.
“He’s started very light training,” Howe noted, “but we’re taking small steps. Whether he makes it back for matches remains to be seen.”
For a defender entering his thirties with a serious injury history, Newcastle must weigh leadership value against roster flexibility.
The left-back position sees Jamal Lewis almost certainly departing after a forgettable stint. Exiled to Sao Paulo before returning injured, the 27-year-old’s inclusion in Newcastle’s 25-man squad appears purely procedural.
“It was a formality,” Howe admitted, confirming Lewis trains separately while academy prospects like Sean Neave and Leo Shahar leapfrog him in the pecking order.
In goal, Newcastle faces decisions on two veteran backups. Mark Gillespie, the perennial third-choice goalkeeper and training ground favorite, could yet earn another quiet extension despite five years without a Premier League appearance.
John Ruddy, 38, finds himself in similar territory – valued for his professionalism but unlikely to challenge Nick Pope after eight bench appearances without debuting.
Perhaps the most definitive exit involves Lloyd Kelly, whose £100,000-per-week arrival last summer already appears misguided. Limited opportunities prompted a January loan to Juventus featuring a £20 million obligation-to-buy clause.
Howe acknowledged the financial pragmatism behind the move: “We believed in Lloyd’s qualities, but PSR management required tough decisions. He leaves with our best wishes for his Serie A adventure.”
These impending changes reveal Newcastle’s evolving recruitment strategy. Where early Saudi-era signings focused on Premier League-proven talent, the club now appears more willing to cut losses on underperformers while retaining flexibility for premium acquisitions.
The reported prearranged sale of Kelly demonstrates newfound sophistication in navigating Profit and Sustainability Rules, turning a disappointing signing into compliant revenue.
For Howe, this summer represents both challenge and opportunity. Retaining Schar, Dubravka, and Krafth maintains defensive continuity, but decisions on Wilson and Lascelles will test the manager’s loyalty to players who helped establish Newcastle’s resurgence.
The anticipated departure of fringe figures like Lewis creates squad space, while Kelly’s permanent exit removes a costly mistake from the wage bill.
As Newcastle’s hierarchy prepares for another ambitious transfer window, these contract crossroads highlight the club’s maturation.
No longer desperate to retain every asset, they’re developing the ruthless edge required for sustained top-flight competitiveness.
The coming months will reveal whether this calculated approach can yield a squad capable of balancing domestic and potential European commitments – with or without several familiar faces from the takeover’s early days.
What remains clear is that Newcastle’s summer business extends beyond flashy arrivals. The quiet exits, difficult goodbyes, and pragmatic sales will prove equally crucial in shaping the club’s next chapter as they transition from ambitious upstarts to established Premier League forces.