Newcastle ‘put five stars up for sale’ as Guimaraes, Isak and Gordon transfer calls made

Several Newcastle United stars could be on the move before the summer transfer window closes as the club aims to overhaul its squad and comply with Premier League financial regulations. Eddie Howe’s team is looking to reduce the average age of their squad, and five members have been made available for transfer.

Newcastle United has openly admitted that Premier League profit and sustainability rules have significantly curbed their ambitions. As part of a drastic squad overhaul, Eddie Howe is reportedly willing to part with several key players to rejuvenate the team. The club’s goal is to balance financial regulations while maintaining competitiveness.

Among the players potentially leaving are Miguel Almiron, Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson, Martin Dubravka, and Emil Kraft. These players, all in the final year of their contracts, could depart before the transfer window closes as reported by The Athletic.

Almiron’s future hinges on the arrival of another right-winger, with interest from Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Trippier, Wilson, Dubravka, and Kraft are also exploring possible deals.

Despite interest from Champions League clubs, Newcastle United is determined to retain their top talents. Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, and Anthony Gordon are considered untouchable as the club seeks to build a strong core around these stars. The club’s focus is on keeping these key players to maintain their competitive edge.

In addition to potential high-profile departures, Newcastle United hopes to offload Jamal Lewis, Isaac Hayden, and Ryan Fraser. Fraser is already in talks with Southampton following a successful loan spell that helped the Saints achieve promotion. These players were expected to leave as part of the club’s strategy to streamline the squad.

There were initial concerns about Anthony Gordon’s commitment amid rumors of a move to his boyhood club Liverpool. However, Eddie Howe has expressed confidence in Gordon’s loyalty and readiness to rejoin the team after an extended break. Gordon, who was part of England’s Euro 2024 squad, remains a crucial part of Newcastle’s plans.

“I’d welcome Anthony back with three arms if I had them,” Howe said. “He’s an integral part of what we’re doing.”

Reflecting on the challenging summer, Howe acknowledged the difficulties faced by the club in complying with financial regulations. The need to raise funds before June 30 to avoid a potential points deduction led to the sale of promising young talents like Elliott Anderson and Yankuba Minteh. Despite these challenges, Howe emphasized the club’s commitment to its players and supporters.

“We’ve had no conversations over the summer where it has been fractious or negative. He’s always been the Anthony Gordon who has given absolutely everything to Newcastle, and I want to make that clear to all our supporters,” Howe stated.

The summer transfer activity was driven by the need to avoid a points deduction for failing to comply with Premier League financial rules. While the club reluctantly sold young talents, they successfully avoided penalties. Howe stressed the importance of learning from this experience to prevent similar situations in the future.

“It was a very difficult last couple of weeks of June. There was a lot of uncertainty, and we didn’t know what was going to happen. The rules forced us to do things we didn’t want to do. I want to make it clear we didn’t want to sell any of the players we sold. Absolutely not. Why would we want to sell any of our promising young players?” Howe said.

“In the end, it’s been as good as we could have hoped for in terms of us not being hit with a points deduction, which was, of course, of paramount importance. But we need to make sure we’re not in that position again,” Howe concluded.

Newcastle United’s summer transfer plans reflect a delicate balance between compliance with financial regulations and maintaining a competitive squad.

As the club navigates these challenges, the focus remains on building a strong team capable of achieving their long-term ambitions. Fans will be closely watching the transfer developments as the window deadline approaches, eager to see how the squad shapes up for the upcoming season.