Newcastle United

Charlotte Robson
Fan writer

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Newcastle doing first team business in a transfer window. Who knew?!

Following the exciting signing of Anthony Elanga last week, we are now being linked with Hugo Ekitike from Frankfurt. Yes please! Great. I accept.

Much is being made of whether or not this means Alexander Isak is due to move on given he has been playing as a lone striker. I don't think an Ekitike signing, if it happens, means that Isak is going anywhere. We've been crying out for squad depth for nearly two years now. Most teams have more than one dynamic forward option.

Additionally, those of us who have actually watched Alexander Isak play know that he is no stranger to roaming the pitch a little more - dropping deep to collect the ball and playing out wider when he needs to. I think adding a player like Ekitike into the mix will unlock a little more of Isak's ability to score from open play - as well as adding goals to our game from Ekitike directly.

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Cast your minds back a year or so when many of us wondered how Bruno and Tonali would play together. Could they? Would they? Spoiler alert: they could and they did. Just because we haven't seen Isak play effectively with another striker doesn't mean he can't. These are young players who get to train under Eddie Howe. They'll be working together in no time.

It also means Isak can rest a little with the glut of games we have coming up. We know he's had slight injuries here and there and played through them precisely because of our lack of options. Bring Ekitike to Newcastle and watch how he integrates with the rest of the team. Two class lads up top. Can't wait.

And if it does mean Isak is moving on, then we could surely do worse than an exciting new prospect to replace him. The future is still very bright for Newcastle.

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Matthew Raisbeck
BBC Radio Newcastle reporter

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It's not a given that Hugo Ekitike will play second fiddle to Alexander Isak - in fact there is a hope that they could play together.

Newcastle like versatility: they tried to sign Chelsea's Joao Pedro this summer who is another versatile striker. I don't expect them to switch formation for the first game of the season, but this move would allow a greater scope to change tactics throughout the game.

The message is still that Isak is not for sale. Newcastle are determined to keep him and don't need to sell for financial reasons. They are in the Champions League next season and want to be competitive in the league and all the cups so, even before Callum Wilson left, they were always going to need another striker.

Ekitike has the profile they want and allows them team to be so much more flexible tactically.

Newcastle have quality but often at times last season lacked depth. This signing would tick both of those boxes.

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Noel Sliney
BBC Sport journalist

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Newcastle's interest in Hugo Ekitike dates back to at least January 2022, when he rejected a move from Reims.

Newcastle tried again that summer but eventually bought Alexander Isak - and the question now is what bringing in Ekitike would mean for the Magpies' current club record signing.

While sceptics might view Ekitike as a replacement for the much-coveted Isak, it is believed Newcastle plan to play them together - as well as switch between the two as they navigate a crowded fixture list following their return to the Champions League.

Isak played 98% of his Premier League minutes last season as a striker, otherwise featuring on the left of a front three. His central role in Newcastle's attack is surely not to be messed with, given a return of 23 goals in 34 games.

However, a similar argument could be made for Ekitike. He scored 15 league goals in 31 starts for Eintracht Frankfurt last season and played as a striker 95% of the time, with just 3% spent on the left wing.

Besides, Newcastle are well-stocked in wide areas with Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy and new £55m signing Anthony Elanga.

Touch maps for both forwards reveal they share a tendency to get on the ball in the inside left channel, but with Ekitike roaming more freely and a little deeper.

This perhaps offers encouragement for believing they can play alongside each other, with Ekitite at times dropping back to link with the midfielders. He is a provider as well as a scorer, ranking in the top 6% among forwards for creating chances in last season's Bundesliga.

Ekitike also successfully forged a strike partnership with Omar Marmoush before the Egyptian was sold to Manchester City in January.

Isak, as a more orthodox number nine, performs a different role to Marmoush but possesses a similar game intelligence. In other words, he would adapt – but what about the rest of the Newcastle side? Their midfield three is considered one of the best in the Premier League but the team structure would need to change if Ekitike and Isak were to be paired in attack.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Opta

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Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

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Should Newcastle succeed with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike they would land one of Europe's brightest young talents.

Only three players aged 23 or under were directly involved in more goals than Ekitike in the top five European leagues last season.

The France Under-21 international scored 15 top-flight goals and assisted eight, with his combined tally matching that of Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer and one more than new Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz and Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal managed – certainly good company to be keep.

The key to Ekitike's success has been the sheer volume of shots he attempts. He registered 117 efforts on goal in the Bundesliga last term, more than any other player, while his expected goals (xG) figure of 21.6 was the league's second highest - indicating a player consistently able to find space and take on high-probability scoring opportunities.

The flipside to that is that his actual finishing has been, to date, a weakness.

While his haul of 15 league goals in 2024-25 was a career best, he underperformed his xG total by 6.6, comfortably the worst figure in the German top flight. His shot conversion rate of 12.8% was also below par.

That would certainly be an area for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe and his staff to work on, but if those rough edges can be smoothed out, Ekitike's upside could be immense.

Despite standing 6ft 3in tall, his rangy running style covers ground quickly and his top speed of 35.5 km/h placed him among a handful of the Bundesliga's quickest attacking players last campaign.

He used that pace to good effect, attempting 126 dribbles - the league's fifth highest total - typically collecting the ball in wide areas and driving inside towards the box.

With Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga also threats with the ball at their feet, the Magpies could be a real handful for opposition defenders next season.

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We asked for your views on the potential club record signing of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, and if you think it would affect the future of Alexander Isak.

Here are some of your comments:

Steve: A bold move and shows the ambition the Toon have in sitting at the top table in Europe. Isak will stay, but I expect some exits elsewhere to balance the books.

Harry: If we keep Isak, that is just a waste of money. We could get a quality striker for much less if he is going be a back-up or rotation option for Isak. When we have made cheaper signings like Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Sven Botman etc work in the past, forking out over £70m just strikes me as bizarre. If Isak does leave, Ekitike would be a good signing, but I still don't think it would be good value for money and we should be looking elsewhere.

Craig: Isak is going nowhere this summer. I think Ekitike will play alongside Isak in a 4-4-2 formation, and if one of them gets injured, then we can adjust and play a 4-3-3. Newcastle's midfield and forward line will be electric this upcoming season if we can pull off this deal.

Steve: Very hard to believe we will pay upwards of £70m for someone who would not necessarily be an automatic first choice. I initially feared this was an Isak replacement but we have got got a very busy season ahead and I don't believe anyone could afford Isak anyway. Could be phenomenal!

Jeff: Don't think he's worth that. Probably £45m. Don't think he's needed.

John: Ekitike would be a great signing. I'm sure Eddie Howe would get the best out of him. What a forward line we would have, rivalling the best in the Premier League. We need a bigger squad to compete in the Champions League. I just hope we can still afford to strengthen cover in defence and midfield.

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With the news Newcastle are making steps to add new firepower to their frontline in the form of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, we want your views.

The 23-year-old Frenchman would probably cost more than £70m - which would make him the Magpies' record signing.

Despite the interest in Ekitike, BBC Sport has been told Newcastle have no interest in selling last season's top scorer - and current club record buy - Alexander Isak, who has been linked with clubs across Europe, including Liverpool.

What do you make of the prospect of signing Ekitike? Is he the right fit for Eddie Howe's side, and at the right price?

And what about any potential implications for Isak's future? Are you concerned about any possibility the Swede could leave St James' Park this summer?

Get in touch with your thoughts here

All 20 clubs earn a share of Premier League prize money. The amount each club receives depends on their league position and number of televised matches.

Prize money consists of UK and international merit broadcast payments, equal shares, commercial revenues and facility fees.

All clubs received a central commercial payment of £7.9m and equal shares from UK (£29.8m) and international (£59.2m) revenues.

Clubs are also paid a facility fee for matches broadcast on domestic TV. Liverpool had 30 of their 38 league matches televised - more than any other club.

1st: Liverpool - £174.9m

2nd: Arsenal - £171.5m

3rd: Manchester City - £165.5m

4th: Chelsea - £163.7m

5th: Newcastle United - £160.2m

6th: Aston Villa - £159.3m

7th: Nottingham Forest - £152.5m

8th: Brighton - £145.1m

9th: Bournemouth - £143.4m

10th: Brentford - £138.9m

11th: Fulham - £135.5m

12th: Crystal Palace - £136.1m

13th: Everton - £131.8m

14th: West Ham - £130.9m

15th: Manchester United - £136.2m

16th: Wolves - £123.1m

17th: Tottenham - £127.8m

18th: Leicester - £116.9m

19th: Ipswich Town - £111.1m

20th: Southampton - £109.2m

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Newcastle midfielder Joelinton says he is "fully fit" after overcoming the knee injury that ended his 2024-25 campaign early.

The Brazilian, 28, saw his season cut short in April when specialists recommended a period of rest.

On returning to prepare for the 2025-26 campaign, he told club media: "I feel good now. I've had a long time to recover. The start of it was very difficult as, personally, I was very frustrated about the injury at the end of the season.

"There was a lot of important games and I could have been with the team. I was very sad but I knew I had to step out and recover because of my knee as I couldn't help the team in the way I wanted. It was the best decision and I had enough time to recover and come back, starting with the guys in pre-season.

"My knee is good, I feel fully fit and happy. Injuries are not what you want but they can happen in football sometimes and you just have to deal with them and do everything you can to be fit. I now hope to have a season without injuries."

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Newcastle have confirmed the appointment of Jack Ross as the club's head of football strategy.

Ross originally joined the club as the academy's head of coach development in 2023 before moving to the position of head of strategic technical football partnerships.

"This is an exciting opportunity to help the club build on the outstanding progress and successes it has achieved on and off the pitch in recent seasons." Ross said in a statement.

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Newcastle's new winger Anthony Elanga says what Eddie's Howe's side are building is "really special" and he wants "to help create more history."

The 23-year-old, who made the switch from Nottingham Forest on Friday, will add to Howe's attacking options as they prepare a return to Champions League football.

"It feels amazing and I am happy to be here," said Elanga. "I have seen some of the lads already and everyone has welcomed me with open arms.

"I am just so happy to be here and I am ready for the challenge. Newcastle have amazing players and staff and they have an amazing manager, who I am really excited to work under.

"I have had a good chat with Eddie Howe already and I've got a good idea of his plans for next seasons.

"We - I can say we because I am part of the team now - are building something special and I really want to buy into the culture of the club. It feels like the perfect time to join because they got the feeling of winning a trophy last season and I want to be part of that. I want to help create more history.

"The club is on an upward trajectory and what they are building is really special.

"As an opposition player, going to St James' Park is not easy. So to have the fans now with you, it will make it even better.

"I am really looking forward to playing there and putting on the black and white shirt. It isn't just a shirt or a job, it is a responsibility and privilege to the passionate fanbase.

"I am ready to show them what I can do."

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BBC Nottingham presenter Arun Verma has given the lowdown on exactly what Newcastle fans should be expecting from winger Anthony Elanga, with his transfer to Tyneside set to be completed this week.

"When Forest bought Anthony Elanga, they bought him as a bit of a raw talent. People had seen what he was capable of at Manchester United but it wasn't working for him," Verma said.

"He needed to be coached, he needed to be understood a little bit more and he came to Forest, and he got given that opportunity. It was very similar to the Callum Hudson-Odoi situation of getting these players that people know are talented and saying 'come on, try and create your craft and hone it in and see what we can do'.

"Elanga arrived with bags of personality - frightening pace not only without the ball but with it as well - and not only that, he can finish, he can cross, he's got trickery in his locker but also, he doesn't know which foot is his best foot.

"So when you've got a player who can play on either flank, score with either foot, you have got someone that can cause a lot of problems.

"You look at Chris Wood's goals from last year and a lot of that came from Elanga being able to split the lines so, it's quite frightening to think what he might be capable of doing with his Swedish counterpart [Alexander Isak] at Newcastle."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Radio Newcastle Total Sport podcast

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Former Newcastle defender John Anderson believes Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford is "desperate" to join the Magpies this transfer window.

Discussing the potential transfer on BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport Newcastle United podcast, Anderson reflected on reports emanating from the Chronicle, external that the 22-year-old's price tag is set at £40m - and that Burnley are holding out for it.

"I don't know about this transfer," Anderson said.

"It comes down the fact a player is worth what you're prepared to pay for them. We were prepared to pay £55m for Anthony Elanga - I'm not sure how much we're prepared to pay for Trafford.

"We've offered £27m. How much higher will we go? I think it will come to a situation where they'll meet halfway, somewhere between £40m and £27m, around the £30m mark.

"It looks like he's a goalkeeper who's desperate to get in because of how long this has been going on so, you'd think this is a deal that will be done this summer."

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Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff has caught the eye of newly promoted Leeds, but will he leave this summer?

The 27-year-old has made 214 senior appearances for the club, but played just 787 minutes in the Premier League last season after mainly coming on as a substitute.

"Longstaff seems to have fallen out of favour at Newcastle," said former Magpies defender John Anderson on BBC Radio Newcastle. "Even when he wasn't starting, Eddie Howe would always bring him on in games but since January he has fallen down the pecking order.

"He wasn't getting as much game time as he would have to wanted either, so he needs the move because he needs to be playing football.

"Everyone knows that Newcastle's midfield three picks itself now but the deal has got to be right.

"You can't let sentiment get in the way because if you want to progress and move forward then these decisions have to be made.

"I think Leeds' offer of £10m is too low and he is worth at least £15m if not more because of the experience he brings."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on Lee Clark's list of the top five greatest Newcastle United managers of all time. You can see his selections a little further down this page.

Here are some of your comments:

Darren: Eddie Howe is the best manager. The Newcastle team under Harvey was not all that special. Howe is a much better coach.

Brian: Arthur Cox was a good manager, gave us Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley and Chris Waddle. He won us promotion to the old First Division when we were in the doldrums.

While Howe is highly regarded amongst the fans who wrote in, the overwhelming feeling was the disappointment of not having Sir Bobby Robson on this list.

Neil: Bobby Robson is a must for the top five. Sacked far too early. I would go for Eddie Howe, Kevin Keegan, Bobby Robson, Joe Harvey and Arthur Cox in that order.

Bob: By any measure, Bobby Robson inherited a club still recovering from the shipwreck of the Keegan years and gave us back our pride and respect as a top-ranked club. Saw my first match in 1953, and I've seen them all.

Neil: How on earth is Bobby Robson not included? He dragged a team that was bottom of the Premier League to qualifying for the Champions League two seasons on the trot!

Richard: What about Sir Bobby Robson? Surely he should be in there, many would say, at the top.

Liverpool have been impressed by Eintracht Frankfurt's French striker Hugo Ekitike but the price tag and 25-year-old Sweden striker Alexander Isak's situation at Newcastle could also be factors in any deal. (Tbrfootball), external

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

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The manager Lee Clark believes to be the best in the history of Newcastle United is Joe Harvey.

Harvey was in charge of the club from 1962 to 1975, and during this period, they won the Second Division title in 1965 and a European trophy.

Before last season's triumph in the Carabao Cup, Harvey remained the most recent Newcastle manager to lift silverware.

"My number one is Joe Harvey," Clark told BBC Radio Newcastle. "He won us the Fairs Cup, which is now known as the Europa League, and he took us to an FA Cup final.

"He was the manager when we had some top individual players and he was there from 1962 to 1975. That tells you how successful he was."

A recap of Clark's five best Newcastle United managers:

1. Joe Harvey

2. Eddie Howe

3. Kevin Keegan

4. Stan Seymour

5. Doug Livingstone

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

What do you make of Clark's choices?

How would you rank these five? Have a go here.

And who is missing from the list?

Let us know here

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Welcome to the second part of Lee Clark's top five greatest managers to have managed Newcastle United.

At number three is Kevin Keegan. Under 'King Kev's' leadership between 1992 and 1997, Newcastle were promoted to the Premier League and came runners-up in 1996 and 1997.

"A man who had come in and changed the landscape of the club as a player. then came in and did something crazy as a manager," Clark told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"The reason he is not in the top two is because he couldn't find that elusive trophy. In 1995, we got close - we got ridiculously close.

"The brand of football, the excitement, just the way he turned the club around."

Clark names current boss Eddie Howe at number two. Howe took charge of the club after takeover in late 2021 and has guided the club to two Champions League qualifications, as well as winning their first trophy in 70 years after beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

"I think he is an outstanding manager," Howe said. "He is the perfect manager for us because he gets the club and the area.

"His work ethic is ridiculous, and his ability to develop players is unbelievable. They play an exciting brand of football, on the front foot.

"He has improved us and also got us one of the best seasons ever by winning that elusive trophy and getting us into the Champions League."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Come back later on Thursday to see who Clark put at number one

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Throughout Thursday, we will be revealing who former Magpies captain Lee Clark thinks are the top five managers in the history of Newcastle United.

At number five, Clark has gone with Doug Livingstone. He was in charge of the club from December 1954 and led the club to an FA Cup win in 1955.

"This is someone who the older fans will remember," Clark said. "And why he is in there is because he won silverware for our club.

"It's not an easy thing as a Newcastle manager!"

At number four, he chose Livingstone's predecessor at St James' Park, Stan Seymour, who was in charge of the club on three different occasions between 1939 and 1958.

Under his stewardship, the club won back-to-back FA Cups in 1951 and 1952, making him the first person to win the trophy with the same club as a player and a manager.

"This was quite a tough one, and the only reason I have put him at four and not higher is because it was before my era.

"Seymour led us to two FA Cup wins and to do that in any era is tough. He could have easily been higher."

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As Anthony Elanga prepares to race down the Newcastle right flank, likely competing with Jacob Murphy for a starting berth, it seems the Magpies now have depth in wide areas.

On the left, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes should vie for a place in the XI and, while reputation and links to other clubs seem to give Gordon a certain glow in the footballing world, it would be fair to say he has to produce than he did in 2024-25.

Last season, Gordon offered a combined 11 goals and assists. It meant he scored or created a goal every 222 minutes. In his previous campaign, he scored or created every 138 minutes, offering a combined 21 goals and assists.

By comparison, last season Harvey Barnes scored or created every 135 minutes. These basic numbers alone point to Gordon having a fight on his hands and - as the graph above displays - they point to a slide in form.

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In truth, 2024-25 saw Gordon slip in several key output metrics. He underperformed his xG of eight goals, scoring six. He created fewer chances, his shot conversion fell from 14% to 10% and his dribble success percentage fell too.

Naturally, some figures fell given he played over 400 minutes less across the Premier League season - down from 2,898 in 2023-24.

But there has been a clear decline.

Within all this, perhaps spare a thought for Barnes. Should he be more nailed on as a starter? A goal or assist every 135 minutes in 2024-25 and every 99 minutes in 2023-24. He has been a model of efficiency.

Will he start more? Could Elanga even switch flanks?

There are many questions for boss Eddie Howe to ponder. Perhaps the most telling will be whether Newcastle get Gordon of 2023-24 or the 2024-25 version?