Newcastle Hit Back at ‘Saudi Tax’ Transfer Demands | OneFootball

Summer Strategy Built on Realism, Not Riches

There’s a perception Newcastle United are flush with cash, a perception the club believes is both outdated and damaging. As Luke Edwards revealed in his excellent report for Telegraph Sport, Newcastle are “growing increasingly frustrated by rival clubs putting a ‘Saudi tax’ on transfers and refuse to be held to ransom over key targets.”

It’s an accusation that’s been hanging in the air since the PIF-led takeover in 2021. The expectation is that Newcastle will, and should, spend extravagantly – but the club is pushing back, constrained by the Premier League’s strict profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Edwards was given rare insight into the club’s negotiating table, and what’s clear is that Newcastle are walking a tightrope. They are attempting to add quality to Eddie Howe’s squad without blowing apart the financial structure that’s slowly, carefully, been built.

Value Takes Priority Over Vanity

Newcastle’s business so far has been quiet, but deliberate. There’s clarity in their strategy. They want to recruit in four key positions – goalkeeper, centre-back, right-sided forward, and striker – but they “cannot spend upwards of £60 million on players when wages are also a consideration.”

That’s where the Bryan Mbeumo situation becomes telling. As Edwards explains, Mbeumo was “a leading target by Newcastle’s recruitment team” but wage demands and a hefty transfer fee forced the club to walk away. Signing the Brentford man could have meant making him the top earner at the club. Doing so before star striker Alexander Isak is rewarded with a new contract – talks for which are set to begin in July – would be a recipe for dressing room unrest.

And so, Newcastle hold firm. No player, however talented, is worth tearing up the wage structure for. “Mbeumo would have likely been Newcastle’s highest earner if he had signed,” Edwards wrote. “That would have inevitably prompted others at the club to ask for parity.”

Photo: IMAGO

Talent Targets Still in Sight – But on Newcastle’s Terms

The ambition hasn’t waned, but the method is clear. Newcastle have eyes on several exciting players. Burnley’s James Trafford remains a top goalkeeping target, while Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga are being considered for that right-sided role. However, progress is limited – so far – by inflated price tags.

Brighton’s Joao Pedro fits the mould of what Newcastle are after: young, versatile, and Premier League-proven. Yet his price – reportedly up to £70 million – risks consuming a huge chunk of the budget. It’s a fee Newcastle could theoretically pay, but not if they want to fill all four positions. As Edwards reports, “it has caused pause for thought internally.”

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike has long been admired, but the £80 million fee means any move is unlikely unless things change. Likewise, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi remains of interest in central defence, but Newcastle will wait for his value to drop, knowing his contract is entering its final year.

Contract Talks with Isak Key to Summer Stability

Everything this summer revolves around Alexander Isak. Newcastle are planning to make him the club’s highest earner – a just reward for his performances and potential. But the negotiations won’t be easy, and the club knows that bringing in players on higher wages before that deal is done could be destabilising.

“Bringing in new players on significantly more money than that before those talks begin is fraught with danger,” Edwards warns.

It’s a point of sensitivity at St James’ Park – one that highlights Newcastle’s desire to build a sustainable elite club rather than simply buy one. The Magpies are still shopping in the upper tiers of the market, but they’re doing so with calculation, not chaos.

Other potential names include James McAtee, liked by Howe and potentially available at £25 million. West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus is another admired target, though his future may hinge on finding the right financial compromise.

As ever, there will be quiet moves, too. “Some of their biggest transfers, like Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon and Sandro Tonali from AC Milan, were only known about 48 hours before they signed,” Edwards notes. Newcastle haven’t stopped moving – they’ve just learned to move smartly.