The 2023 summer transfer window opens on Wednesday as Premier League clubs begin to battle for football's biggest and brightest talents. Newcastle United promise to be busy once more as Eddie Howe attempts to bolster his St James' Park dressing room as the north east outfit enter an exciting new era.
"I’m not in my mind thinking 'we have to have one of those players that ticks that box for the supporters'. As much as I’d love to do that, it’s about finding the right player in the right position who I think makes us better," Howe replied when quizzed over marquee signings last month.
Newcastle continue to be hyperaware of Financial Fair Play regulations as Howe tries to balance the books and seek out smart deals when it comes to incomings. The Toon boss wants to keep the bulk of his squad together but will also need departures to free up first-team spaces, meaning some veterans will pay emotional goodbyes to St James' Park.
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So, who are the men definitely set for the exit door? Well, Ryan Fraser for starters. The winger was demoted to the under-21 setup in early 2023 after a fall out with Howe. "I’d never put a firm decision on that, because life and football can change quickly but I’d say at the moment, no he doesn’t [have a future]," the Newcastle boss admitted.
Fraser attracted interest from Southampton in January but a move failed to materialise. The south coast club remain a suitable option despite their relegation to the Championship. Norwich City have also been linked in recent days.
Howe has also confirmed it is the end of the road for Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick this summer. The duo both spent last season in the Championship with Norwich and Reading respectively. Both second tier clubs struggled before the Newcastle pair returned to Tyneside last month.
Karl Darlow is another heading for the exit door with Hull City pushing to make his loan switch permanent in the coming weeks. The goalkeeper fell down the pecking order under Howe but found regular game time in the Championship.
Ciaran Clark is out of contract this month and won't be offered an extension. The defender was shipped to Sheffield United but the newly-promoted outfit are unlikely to extend the Irishman's stay at Bramall Lane.
Other players out of contract include Matty Longstaff, Paul Dummett, Matt Ritchie, Mark Gillespie and Loris Karius. The first mentioned of the quintet is recovering from a nasty knee injury but fits the homegrown quota and recently received praise from Howe for his tenacity away from the pitch.
Chronicle Live understands both Ritchie and Dummett have been offered new deals but the Magpies await an answer. Karius' initial short-term deal was extended until the end of the campaign, allowing him to replace Nick Pope in the Carabao Cup, but his heavily pregnant, Italian partner has made her feelings clear when it comes to where his next location should be.
“I don't deny that it would be nice to see him play near me, perhaps around Milan or in Lombardy or in Liguria. It would be much more comfortable than in Newcastle," TV presenter Diletta Leotta said in May.
Another player that falls into the maybe category is Jamal Lewis. The Northern Irishman is another fringe player to suffer with injury issues and opinion over his future is subsequently split on Tyneside. Kell Watts will also return from his latest loan spell elsewhere and prepare to fight for his immediate future under Howe.
Newcastle's budget needs to be topped up with outgoings and four senior, first-teams players could bring in much-needed revenue should they part ways between now and September.
Martin Dubravka, Jamaal Lascelles, and Matt Targett could all realistically exit in search of more minutes, while the debate rages on over Allan Saint-Maximin's future in black and white.
But who could arrive? Howe insists he and sporting director Dan Ashworth are surveying a small group of players and will only strengthen to raise the standard of the first-team. The Newcastle manager even suggested only two or three big names could arrive in the near future.
A new midfielder is high on the agenda as Howe seeks to bolster a light area of the squad. This week saw Wolfsburg Felix Nmecha linked, while previously the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia have been touted as viable options.
Scott McTominay is a player Howe rates but his Manchester United future remains up in the air with Erik ten Hag unsure whether to sell this summer. Newcastle have also tested the waters for Kalvin Phillips.
Further up the pitch, an attacking midfielder is wanted by Howe. James Maddison and Dominik Szoboszlai are the two front-runners - but the price of both options may put Newcastle off.
Dan Burn excelled at left-back last season but Howe will seek to strengthen his hand in the position before the new campaign rolls around. Chronicle Live understands there is confidence a deal will be struck with Arsenal and Scotland full-back Kieran Tierney.
A fourth and fifth new arrival could quite easily come in the form of a new centre-back to rival Fabian Schar and eventually partner Sven Botman in the long-term and a new wide option. There was a clamour to add goals from out wide last summer before Miguel Almiron found his shooting boots.
There will also be significant investment in the youth setup to try and help Newcastle in years to come. Yankuba Minteh will officially join on July 1 but the feeling is that more teenage prospects will arrive as Ashworth buys for the future.
