Newcastle United

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The Professional Footballers' Association has announced its shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, with six standout Premier League performers in the running.

Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister are joined by Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice and Chelsea star Cole Palmer.

Salah continued his remarkable consistency for Liverpool, while Mac Allister impressed in his second season at Anfield.

Isak's clinical finishing helped Newcastle to a strong league campaign, and Fernandes remained a creative force despite United's mixed form.

Rice was pivotal in Arsenal's push in the league and Europe, and Palmer continued to show great form at Stamford Bridge with a series of match-winning displays.

The winner, voted for by fellow professionals, will be announced later this summer.

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Throughout Friday, we will be revealing the moments former Newcastle defender John Anderson rates as the top five at St James' Park.

In reverse order, he puts the 5-0 demolition of Manchester United during the 1996-97 season in fifth place.

"It was a sensational performance - unbelievable," he told BBC Radio Newcastle. "It was one of those games where everybody you speak to was there. And if everybody you spoke to was there, then it would have been 150,000 of them!

"That's just because everybody remembers it so well.

"It was sweet revenge, I suppose, for what happened the season before."

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A spot higher at number four was Newcastle's 3-2 win against Barcelona in the Champions League during the 1997-98 season, when Faustino Asprilla scored a perfect hat-trick.

It was the first time St James' Park had hosted a Champions League game.

"Asprilla and Keith Gillespie were sensational," Anderson recalled. "Gillespie's performance on the night on the right wing was brilliant. He stuck a couple of crosses in that led to a couple of goals.

"Barcelona were a top side at the time and we went 3-0 up but I was very pleased it didn't go on for another 10 minutes. They hit the crossbar late on as well.

"The atmosphere and the noise that night were sensational. It was uncharted territory for us as and we came up against one of the best in Europe and turned them over. Sensational."

Listen to the full list on BBC Sounds - or come back later to find out what's next on Anderson's list

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Despite progressing through the youth ranks at Chelsea as a right-back, Tino Livramento featured heavily on the left side of defence for Newcastle last season after the long-term injury suffered by Lewis Hall.

He impressed in this role and started there for England's first two group games in this summer's Euro Under-21 Championship under Lee Carsley.

"Lee would say he likes me on the left because I can come inside and use my right foot," Livramento said on the role. "The same goes for the Newcastle manager, but when you're in that position it's all instinct.

"I wouldn't say playing as a left-back is my favourite position, but as long as I'm out there and playing I'm really enjoying my football right now."

In the Three Lions' opener against the Czech Republic, Livramento was awarded player of the match after an impressive performance in which his purposeful run and cross forced the deadlock to be broken with an own goal.

When asked what the 22-year-old's best position is, former Magpies defender John Anderson said: "It's a really tough one. I think he's been exceptional in both.

"Since young Hall got injured and he reverted to left-back for Newcastle, he's been exceptional. I think it's a great option for the manager as well that he can play in both those positions and not look out of place.

"Since going to left-back, he's looked like someone who has played there all his life. He's been brilliant at left-back."

However, when asked if Livramento should return to right-back when Hall returns from injury, Anderson added: "I think so. It's a no-brainer really.

"You've got a young boy in Hall who took a while to settle but since getting in the side has been excellent and has become an England international. They're still young boys and learning the game but hopefully they will be there for years to come."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

Chelsea are planning to hijack Newcastle's move for Brighton and Brazil forward Joao Pedro, 23. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

England goalkeeper Nick Pope, 33, does not want to leave Newcastle despite interest from Leeds, meaning their own attempts to sign Burnley's English stopper James Trafford, 22, could be held up. (TBR Football), external

Liverpool are prepared to smash the British transfer record to sign Newcastle and Sweden striker Alexander Isak, 25, this summer. (GiveMeSport), external

Chelsea have made initial contact with Brighton over Brazil striker Joao Pedro, 23, who is also wanted by Newcastle. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Newcastle want to sign England forward Marcus Rashford on loan but Manchester United would prefer to offload the 27-year-old on a permanent basis. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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With the Premier League fixtures out, we asked for your thoughts on the schedule and where you think Newcastle will be after their first 10 matches.

Here are some of your comments:

GC: It's a tough start in those first 10 games plus with the Champions League fixtures added in. I would still expect that Newcastle will be in the top six by the end of those games though. It is just as hard for all teams as well. We need to get a good transfer window done.

Neil: Starting the season with Aston Villa away and Liverpool at home will be tough but I am feeling positive about a top three finish with the right investment.

Dale: I would like 24 points out of the first 10 games and I can't wait for us to put Sunderland in their place in December. It is a tough start so I would take five points from the opening three games in August.

Chris: I can feel a four wins, three draws, three losses coming on.

Richard: After 10 games, Newcastle will be second on 26 behind Liverpool and only dropping points in draws at Villa and Brighton. That means winning home games against Liverpool (it's our turn), Arsenal (we usually step up) and Nottingham Forest. Optimism but not crazy!

Krish: In the European places. It's going to be a fun start and and we may struggle for consistency but I think top seven after 10 games. If we don't strengthen sufficiently, then in the top 10.

Opta has ranked the difficulty of each top-flight team's first five Premier League fixtures of the 2025-26 season.

According to Opta's model, Manchester United have the hardest start, followed by their opening-weekend opponents Arsenal and then Bournemouth.

Aston Villa's first five games have been ranked the easiest, alongside Crystal Palace.

Take a look below to see where your side places...

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Fans have been warned by the Premier League that fixtures could be moved at "relatively short notice" next season because of the number of teams playing in Europe.

A record nine top-flight clubs have qualified for continental competition in the 2025-26 campaign.

The Premier League said there is an "increased likelihood" that games will be re-scheduled if English teams reach the latter stages and it suggested fans take this into consideration when planning their attendance at games.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham will be playing in the Champions League next season.

Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have qualified for the Europa League, while Nottingham Forest will be playing in the Conference League.

"While the Premier League celebrates this success, it will come with an impact on the scheduling of league matches," a statement from the Premier League said.

"There is an increased likelihood of Premier League fixtures moving at relatively short notice, after our fixture announcements, should our clubs progress to the knockout rounds of these competitions."

Andrew Bassett
BBC Sport data analyst

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We have seen a lot of traffic to our fixtures pages already today.

So far, Leeds United are the fourth most visited club fixtures page on BBC Sport.

Only Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are ahead of the Whites.

Newly promoted Sunderland also catch the eye inside the top 10 - and in case you were wondering, they are behind Newcastle United.

Aside from the opening weekend's game at Aston Villa and the final fixture of the season against Fulham, all dates are subject to change as a result of broadcast and other requirements.

See Newcastle's full fixture list here

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With rivals Sunderland having returned to the Premier League, the first Tyne-Wear derby of the 2025-26 season will be at the Stadium of Light on the weekend of 13-14 December.

Eddie Howe's side will then host the Black Cats at the end of March.

In terms of a possible title race, Newcastle's meetings with defending champions Liverpool, who they beat 2-1 to claim the Carabao Cup, are scheduled for the weekend of 23-24 August and the end of January.

The two games against last season's runners-up Arsenal are set for the weekends of 27-28 September and 25-26 April, while matches against Manchester City come in November and February.

And what about the schedule over Christmas and New Year? Well, Newcastle will end the year with a home game against Chelsea and trips to Manchester United and Burnley before travelling to Crystal Palace in their first game of 2026.

Finally, the Magpies close their campaign against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, 24 May 2026 - when all 10 matches will kick off at 16:00 BST.

Looking at the fixture list, where do you think Howe's side will be after 10 games? Have your say here

Newcastle will travel to Aston Villa for their opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

The match will take place on Saturday, 16 August at 12:30 BST, with the Magpies' first home fixture against Liverpool on the weekend of 23-24 August.

See Newcastle's Premier League fixtures in full here

Where do you think Eddie Howe's side will be after 10 games and what do you make of how the fixtures have fallen? Tell us here

Harry De Cosemo
Sports Journalist

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There are four key positions Newcastle want to improve: right wing, centre-back, striker and goalkeeper. Their top targets are mostly Premier League-based, with Eddie Howe wanting to minimise the acclimatisation period for new signings, but this works against his desire for a quick start to the market.

Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo was earmarked as the main target out wide, but links to Manchester United and Tottenham have forced a rethink; similarly Ipswich striker Liam Delap and Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, who the club also spoke to, joined Chelsea and Real Madrid.

After a late bid last summer, Newcastle have again enquired about Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga, as well as Brighton forward Joao Pedro. West Ham's Mohammed Kudus and Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo are also of interest.

Talks with Burnley over a deal for 22-year-old England goalkeeper James Trafford are restarting after failed bids a year ago, but nothing appears close. Guehi remains high on the list in defence.

Newcastle, who are majority owned by Saudi Arabia's wealthy Public Investment Fund, do not want to be held to ransom over fees, which is causing transfer progress to slow down.

The wage structure in place is strict too, and the club are being careful not to break it for a new recruit, while hoping star striker Alexander Isak signs an improved contract.

There is a sense in the fanbase that Newcastle should look abroad for better value signings, having had previous success with Isak and midfielders Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali.

"We just can't afford to shop domestically all the time," Adam Widdrington, from the Newcastle United fan podcast True Faith, told BBC Sport.

"Even though the market abroad feels a little inflated, generally speaking there is better value overseas when buying players willing to make a move to England. In particular, those players going slightly under the radar but with impressive form over the past couple of seasons."

Read more on Newcastle's transfer window

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As the transfer window is now open again until 1 September, we asked for you to tell us one player you want to bring to Newcastle United and one player you want the club to sell.

Here are some of your comments:

Oliver: I think if we have to sell someone it would be Callum Wilson, not because he's no longer good enough but I think we should move him on while he still has a decent price tag. In terms of buying I think there are multiple options but I think that Anthony Elanga would be a really good signing.

Steve: I think Joe Willock is not up to the standard required at the top so would definitely sell. Marc Guehi is the man I would love to see in a Newcastle shirt.

Peter: Gordon out, Elanga in and put the rest towards Pedro.

Dan: Unfortunately sell Botman - fantastic player when he is fit, but he can't stay fit. There's a lot of value in him still and with an ageing Schar and Burn, selling him pays for his replacement. I would sign Tomori and/or Marc Guehi. Both would give us depth and competition.

Paul: I'd sell Gordon to Liverpool for anything over £80m. We have Barnes and others that can play there. I'd take Joao Pedro but £60m is too much for him.

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Former Magpies defender John Anderson teams up with BBC Radio Newcastle's Simon Pryde to count down their top five moments at St James' Park.

From legendary goals to iconic wins under the lights, it's pure gold. Relive the magic. Feel the roar. This one's for every Toon fan.

Listen now on BBC Sounds here

Newcastle have opened talks with Brighton over the signing of Brazil forward Joao Pedro, 22, and are also interested in Sporting and Ivory Coast centre-back Ousmane Diomande, 21. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Meanwhile, the Magpies have joined Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United in the race for Southampton and England Under-21s winger Tyler Dibling, 19. (CaughtOffside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

No sooner does the season finish and we start looking forward to key dates for the next campaign - and that will be a lot easier to do on Wednesday when the Premier League fixtures are released.

That's right, that special day in the calendar is almost here already. The day when you'll learn details of derby fixtures, Christmas opponents and end-of-season run-ins.

This page will bring you all the fixtures when they drop at 09:00 BST on Wednesday and we'll be giving you the chance to have your say on how things look.

The new campaign kicks off on the weekend of Saturday, 16 August and it will conclude on Sunday, 24 May 2026, when all 10 games will take place at the same time.

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Newcastle United Under-21s lead coach Diarmuid O'Carroll has joined Czech First League side Sparta Prague as a first-team coach.

The 38-year-old had been in charge since September 2024 and led the academy side to a ninth-placed finish in Premier League 2.

O'Carroll follows former youth coaches Ben Dawson and Graeme Carrick, who recently left roles within Newcastle's academy set-up to secure senior first-team coaching positions away from St James' Park.

Newcastle United academy director Steve Harper said: "The opportunity to work in Europe is an exciting one for him and we wish him the best of luck as his coaching career continues.

"He is the third professional development phase coach to be headhunted from our academy for a first-team senior football role in the past 12 months, which demonstrates that our academy development pathway works not just for players but for staff too."

The transfer window is open again for summer business to be conducted.

Clubs can now strike deals until the deadline at 19:00 BST on 1 September.

So if you can sell one player, who is it? And if you can buy one player only, who gets the nod?

Give us reasons for your choice but remember, in this instance it's a strict one player leaving and one coming in.

Send your selections here

BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport Newcastle United Podcast has been catching up with former footballer and club physiotherapist Paul Ferris, who spent a combined total of 18 years with the Magpies.

Ferris shared a tale about a time he took Alan Shearer to see a surgeon in France. The pair were in Paris with no training kit but the doctor analysing Shearer needed to inspect his knee in a training environment, meaning the star striker needed to borrow some shorts.

"Alan put these big khaki pants on and even with the belt on the lowest notch they were still twice his size," Ferris said.

"But Dr Steadman told him to do some exercises in the park and I said 'the park over there, with all of the families in it? You do realise he is one of the most famous footballers in Europe?' And he just went 'it will be OK.'

"Alan must've jogged about 10 yards before the first little French kid was shouting 'Shearer, Shearer' and by the time he'd ran back there must've been about 50 kids running behind Alan who looked like the pied piper of all these kids and when he stopped, they formed a big circle around him.

"We were then getting Alan to twist, turn and jump in a pair of trainers on a wet park and he's slipping and sliding everywhere and I guess those kids in France were like 'what the hell is Alan Shearer doing in our park?'"

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Newcastle have been linked to Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford but are now reportedly willing to walk away, external if the Clarets don't lower their valuation, which is believed to be up to £40m.

The BBC Radio Newcastle Total Sport show spoke to former Magpies defender John Anderson, who believes the 22-year-old might not be worth his price tag.

"His value is going to go up with the amount of clean sheets he kept last season," Anderson said.

"He had an outstanding season, Burnley defensively were outstanding and you'd think that would put value on him.

"He's one that's been mentioned in the past, one that doesn't go away but how much do you value him? It's a little bit like everything, you are what people are prepared to pay for you and if we're not prepared to pay whatever Burnley want, then you look elsewhere.

"You value him and put a price on him and you say 'We'd like to sign him, we value him at X' and the selling club comes back and says actually 'We value him at Y' and then usually you meet in the middle and come to an agreement, but sometimes if you can't, you've got to walk away.

"The one thing I would say is that there is no shortage of goalkeepers at St James' Park right now."

Listen to the full clip here