Another summer of excitement is expected on Tyneside if Newcastle United stave off the threat of Premier League relegation this season.
The January transfer window saw five new players arrive at St James’ Park despite the club’s precarious league position.
Several star names rejected offers to join the Saudi-backed revolution while the chance of Championship football loomed but, should Newcastle survive, the transfer market will quickly become their oyster.
The new owners have made it clear that they want to lay the foundations for a successful club off the pitch too, with key appointments in the boardroom still to be made.
ChronicleLive ranks the top five priorities that the Magpies should focus on this summer.
1. Appointing a CEO and Director of Football
Amanda Staveley has made no secret that the club want to appoint an ambitious, forward-thinking sporting director to take the club forward.
Former Brighton chief Dan Ashworth is tipped to take charge and he comes with enormous pedigree. The 50-year-old is one of the hallmarks behind the FA’s ‘England DNA’ programme, an initiative that has helped the Three Lions unleash a conveyor belt of talent from St George’s Park.
Ashworth’s role at the FA placed him on Man Utd’s radar but Brighton won the race for his services and his stellar recruitment record has seen the Seagulls cement themselves as a consistent Premier League outfit.
The CEO role at Newcastle has been vacant since Lee Charnley left the club in November. Staveley told The Athletic that the club will hire “a CEO that can help us grow and put Newcastle on the map.”
Both appointments are pivotal to the Magpies’ future success. Get them wrong, and the club could fail to propel itself to where the fans want it to be.
2. Sign a reliable goalscorer
The new consortium - and PIF especially - are desperate to bring a marquee signing to St James’ Park.
A top-class goalscorer is exactly what Newcastle need and signing one would take Eddie Howe’s team to the next level.
Current number nine Callum Wilson has proven his worth but, unfortunately, struggles to stay away from the treatment table and a more reliable option is needed.
Dwight Gayle is having an anonymous season and the jury has been out for years as to whether he is good enough to cut it in the Premier League.
January arrival Chris Wood - signed for a hefty £25million from Burnley - is not a natural goalscorer and his signing was very much a short-term fix to Newcastle’s problems.
The arrival of a potent centre forward could transform the Magpies into a comfortable top 10 side next season.
3. A new centre-back
Toon chiefs made centre-back their main priority last month but they could not secure one until the final day of the window.
Desperate attempts to sign Sven Botman and Diego Carlos ended in vain but Lille and Sevilla will be more open to selling their assets once the current campaign has finished.
Dan Burn provides a dependable option for now but the Magpies must bolster an ageing backline that, before the Blyth-born defender’s arrival, had not been bolstered for four years.
A strong defence provides the platform for any successful team - as Newcastle fans have seen with Kieran Trippier - so expect to see the Magpies in the hunt for more recruitments in the summer.
4. Clearout the deadwood
Eddie Howe had a huge dilemma at the start of the month when selecting Newcastle’s 25-man squad.
Ciaran Clark, Jamal Lewis and Isaac Hayden all failed to make the cut and could all be shipped out. Sean Longstaff and Paul Dummett - two players who could fall down the pecking order further with new arrivals - are both out of contract in June.
Emil Krafth, Matt Ritchie, Matt Gillespie and Dwight Gayle are all bit-part players who should all be moved on to make way for more incomings.
The quality of the squad could change drastically in the offseason if Newcastle can offload surplus players and replace them with first-class upgrades.
Morale in the camp, too, will be improved if unhappy players are moved on.
5. An elite holding midfielder
Somebody who can shield a backline and enforce the midfield is essential in the modern game.
Newcastle had the late Cheick Tiote who carried out that role several years ago but are currently without one. Isaac Hayden would argue the case but the Magpies need to be thinking beyond him if they are to compete at the upper echelons of the table.
Signing a defensive-minded midfielder would allow Newcastle’s offensive talents to flourish while adding much-needed balance to the engine room.
While other areas should be prioritised, improving this area should still be on the agenda for the new owners.
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