Newcastle United signings – Still need one and a half | OneFootball

The first of the major summer Newcastle United signings will hopefully be announced on Friday.

The club no doubt, as usual, getting all the intense and varied media done ahead of the announcement, interviews with Anthony Elanga, photo shoots and so on.

So where does that leave us ahead of the new 2025/26 season?

From my reckoning it puts us one and a half Newcastle United signings short.

Here is how I see it, my explanation.

In 29 days time the season kicks off at Aston Villa and this would be my Newcastle United team:

Nick Pope

Tino Livramento

Fabian Schar

Sven Botman (Apologies to Dan Burn)

Lewis Hall

Sandro Tonali

Bruno Guimaraes

Joelinton

Anthony Elanga

Alexander Isak

Anthony Gordon

With everybody fit, I think we are these one and a half Newcastle United signings short.

The big non-negotiable is that United have to finally get this younger more mobile central defender who can play on the right side of the middle of defence. To compete with Fabian Schar, to share the workload this season.

I don’t think anybody is arguing with that. Schar was magnificent last season but he does turn 34 in December and having a new signing of the quality necessary to play there straight away, if/when selected, is absolutely essential. With Burn, Botman, Schar and this new signing, Newcastle United absolutely sorted in the middle of defence (with Jamaal Lascelles as additional back up).

As for the half a signing?

That for me is goalkeeper and it all depends on how you view Nick Pope.

For me, Nick Pope is still an excellent first choice and Martin Dubravka an okay-ish back up. The much talked about James Trafford looks to fit the bill perfectly in terms of a new young keeper coming in. That is my ideal, I would see Newcastle United then as having two number one goalkeepers. So I see him as a want, rather than essential need.

Which is where I get the half from, in terms of needing one and a half essential Newcastle United signings (on top of Anthony Elanga). This is due to the fact that other Newcastle fans think a new keeper is an essential, to go straight in as number one first choice ahead of Pope.

What it boils down to I think, is how you see the first team and the squad overall.

Newcastle United signings that you think are essential for our best starting eleven, then the ones we’d want/like on top of that to strengthen things generally, have the best possible squad.

Going into this summer, Jacob Murphy had his best ever season, but at the same time a new quality right side option was essential. The same with a right sided central defender. Then make it two and a half essential Newcastle United signings, depending on you Nick Pope thoughts.

As it happens, I am totally confident that all of these (two and a half) signings will happen, with James Trafford to follow Anthony Elanga in, then a central defender as well.

For me, anything after that is a bonus. I think Eddie Howe will bring in at least two or three players in, on top of the two and a half essential signings, especially if losing further squad players such as Sean Longstaff. However, if those bonus arrivals don’t happen, it won’t be any kind of disaster.