With each passing day Newcastle United's 2022 transfer business looks better and better. Not only have the Magpies signed a blend of experienced and promising talent, they have also seemingly avoided some near misses in the transfer market.
One of the pitfalls of Newcastle's new-found wealth is that they are linked with a plethora of players each and every time a transfer window rolls around. Whether it be a vibrant, up and coming talent or an ageing former world-beater in need of a new challenge, Eddie Howe's side seem to be linked with them all.
However, the north east outfit have not been pressured into deals or forced to pay over the odds, meaning they have watched a lot of transfer targets pass them by. However at this moment in time you would be hard pressed to find a single failed deal Newcastle fans are losing any sleep over.
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Firstly, there is Lucas Paqueta. Brazilian international, impressive playmaker and Bruno Guimaraes' best mate. Many thought the relationship between the two former Lyon stars meant Newcastle would have no trouble signing the player in the summer.
Howe and his team refused to bow to outside pressure and instead allowed West Ham to swoop in unopposed and seal a deal for the former AC Milan star. Since then, Hammers boss David Moyes has failed to get a tune out of the attacking midfielder and the move hasn't panned out how fans in east London expected.
Paqueta stormed straight past his boss and down the Emirates tunnel after the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on Boxing Day. A move which has angered West Ham fans in the days following.
Then there is Jesse Lingard. Another player heavily linked with a move to St James' Park over the summer before Newcastle refused to be bounced into a huge salary for the free agent. Nottingham Forest looked like they had pulled off a coup when they persuaded the former England star to join in the weeks after.
Lingard has struggled to make an impact at the City Ground and faces an uncertain future at the club as they battle relegation during their first campaign back in the big time. The former Manchester United man is yet to score or assist for Forest in the Premier League this season.
Another player signed by Forest during their remarkable summer spree was Renan Lodi. Kieran Trippier's former team-mate at Atletico Madrid, many expected Newcastle to opt for the Brazilian over Matt Targett at the beginning of the summer. Lodi has since only featured nine times for his new club and has failed to play an entire 90 minutes in the Premier League since October 3.
Hugo Ekitike was a player Newcastle did push hard for in the summer before being gazumped by French giants PSG. The young forward opted to leave Reims for a move to the capital rather than joining Howe's squad back in July.
Speaking recently, PSG boss Christophe Galtier admitted things weren't going well for Ekitike at his new club. “I had a long discussion with Hugo last week," he told reporters in October.
"Obviously, he isn’t satisfied with his limited playing time. I told him that I was in part responsible, but that he was also responsible.”
Newcastle did end up making a move for Sven Botman over the summer after initially being rebuffed in the January market. The Dutchman has been a revelation since arriving in England's top flight and is already one of the first names on Howe's team sheet.
Before Botman, Newcastle were keen to bring in Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos. The Spanish side were engaged in a title race last January and stuck a whopping tag on the Brazilian to try and scare the Premier League side away until the summer.
It certainly worked, with Newcastle opting against a move for the defensive powerhouse during the winter market. Aston Villa wasted no time stealing a march on the north east outfit by purchasing Carlos at the beginning of the summer window.
Carlos suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in just his second match for the club in August and is currently stepping up his recovery on the sidelines. A sheer stroke of bad luck for the Midlands club after paying so much money for his services.
Newcastle fans wasted no time mourning the loss of Carlos after Botman arrived from Lille - and that transfer is looking the smarter of the two less than six months on.
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