Newcastle United

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It feels like the season really starts now for Newcastle United.

The Alexander Isak saga had cast a shadow as Newcastle attempted to navigate the opening weeks of the campaign without an experienced striker.

And the need for firepower was clear.

Newcastle had 34 shots against Aston Villa, Liverpool and Leeds United, but only mustered a couple of goals.

Football is rarely so simple but, with a goalscorer in the side, it is not hard to imagine Newcastle would have had more than two points to show for their efforts.

Newcastle now have options at least, even if Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have not had much time to catch their breaths since completing their moves to St James' Park.

So who could start against Wolves at the weekend?

Well, Woltemade trained for the first time at Newcastle's training ground on Tuesday after representing Germany on international duty.

The record signing will therefore have had a little more time with his new team-mates than Wissa, who is embarking on a long journey back to the UK after scoring a couple of goals for DR Congo.

But it is also worth noting that Wissa has vast Premier League experience whereas Woltemade has never played outside of his homeland before.

Choosing who will lead the line on Saturday is a welcome dilemma of sorts for Howe as Newcastle seek their first win of the season.

Newcastle and Liverpool are the latest clubs to join the race to sign England and midfielder Adam Wharton, 21, with Chelsea and Manchester United also among interested parties.

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

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Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

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It is not entirely surprising to see long throws making a comeback, especially with the addition of set-piece coaches and the recent sporting obsession with marginal gains.

However, the level at which they have risen might surprise.

This season the Premier League is averaging three long throws into the penalty area per game – an increase of 100% on the previous two campaigns and 233.33% more than in 2020-21.

Of course we are only 30 games into a 380-game season so therefore the sample size is small, but the numbers are clear - the long throw is certainly back in vogue.

When diving into the data for how individual clubs rank this campaign, Newcastle come out joint-fifth alongside Burnley and Tottenham.

Eddie Howe's side have already put seven long throws into the penalty area across their three games - averaging 2.3 per match, which is just below the wider league average of three.

However, despite this use of long throws in the box, the Magpies have struggled to fully take advantage having drawn a blank in front of goal in two of their opening three matches.

But how do you feel about this tactic for Newcastle?

Happy with the amount?

Should they be using it more or less often?

Make your choice here

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Alexander Isak says he "can't control everything that's said or written" about the transfer saga that eventually saw him move from Newcastle to Liverpool on transfer deadline day for a British record £125m.

Isak was left out of the Magpies' squad for their pre-season tour of Asia with what the club described as a "minor thigh injury", though it was understood at the time he wanted to explore a move away.

He then trained alone with former club Real Sociedad as Liverpool's first bid of £110m was rejected - before refusing to rejoin the Newcastle squad and releasing a statement in which he said promises had been "broken" by the St James' Park club and that their "relationship can't continue".

The club in response said "no commitment had ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer".

"Not everyone has the full picture, but that's something for another day," Isak told Swedish media after his country's 2-0 World Cup qualifying defeat by Kosovo on Monday.

"I can't control everything that's said or written. But I'm happy that I became a Liverpool player."

Isak came on as a second-half substitute in Pristina for his first competitive minutes of the campaign.

"It's great that everything was settled before the camp and that I could focus on playing football again," he added.

"It's been a fairly new situation for me, but you always learn and develop mentally off the pitch as well."

Wolves expect no issues negotiating a new contract with 25-year-old Jorgen Strand Larsen but they will include a minimum release clause for the Norway forward, after rejecting two offers of more than £50m from Newcastle United in the summer. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Newcastle, Manchester United and Aston Villa are eyeing Athletic Bilbao's Daniel Vivian and might meet the 26-year-old Spain centre-back's release clause of about £35m next summer. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

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

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Charlotte Robson
Fan writer

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Normally, I hate the international break happening so soon in the season.

Often, we are just getting a bit of momentum, then all of a sudden key parts of our squad are flying all over the place and we miss out on watching them gel and playing together after the summer.

Not this year. This year, I have relished the break.

It is not that I do not want to watch Newcastle play. I always want that. It is that this season so far has been blighted by a transfer window that, in my humble opinion, should close before the season starts.

As a result, it does not feel like we have got going. In part, this is because we have been playing without a striker and only picked up two points from the first three matches. The less said about that the better.

But we have our squad now and it feels like we can actually get started. It has actually been nice to see our players head out on international duty. In years gone by, we had very few players called up to their national teams, so that represents a positive direction of travel.

Seeing how they play, particularly our new players, has been good too. Our established stars such as Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali played for their respective countries, with Bruno bagging a goal, but we also got to see Anthony Elanga score for Sweden, Nick Woltemade provide an assist for Germany and Yoane Wissa score for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

These performances make me feel warm inside. One might dismiss a good performance in a 'bad' national team, but I do not, because Eddie Howe is Newcastle's manager and he makes players better.

It is exciting that these players have so much potential because Howe is the coach that can help them realise it. There is much to come from Newcastle this season - I can feel it.

Find more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external

Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Leeds United are interested in Crystal Palace's 28-year-old France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and could make a move in January. (Caught Offside), external

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

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BBC Radio Newcastle's Dominic James says new Magpies chief executive David Hopkinson brings pedigree and expertise to St James' Park.

On Thursday, Hopkinson was announced as the successor to Darren Eales, who stepped down after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer.

"Hopkinson led the business operations for the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers," James explained. "He was previously global head of partnerships at Real Madrid and oversaw a lot of the changes we are only now seeing at Santiago Bernabeu.

"Back in 2019, Hopkinson was asked what he would like to be remembered upon leaving Real Madrid. He said: 'I think in five years from now we will have a club and business which is quite different from the one we have today. A different home and doing things in a different way. I'd like to be one of the architects who made that a success.'

"I think you can say all those changes are now proving a success.

"Before that, he was a commercial officer for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors and he was responsible for signing one of the biggest naming rights deals in the history of North American Sports - worth $800m.

"He has a very good CV."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

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Dan Burn is relieved the transfer window is over after a summer of sagas at Newcastle United.

Speaking while on England duty, he reflected on how it has felt to be both a Newcastle supporter and player during the past few months, particularly given the circumstances around Alexander Isak's protracted move to Liverpool.

"We are very protective of our club and city and we want players to be there who want to play for Newcastle, he said. "You don't want them to naively think that there is anyone else to go to apart from Newcastle.

"I understand why our fans are frustrated.

"I'm glad it is done [Isak's transfer]. We wanted the window closed to have a bit of clarity on it. Alex is a mate and I have nothing but good wishes. No animosity. I wish Alex all the best, apart from when we play Liverpool, obviously."

Now a fixture in the England squad, Burn said he is playing the "best football of my career" before World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.

"On a personal level, I am probably playing the best football of my career," he said. "I am in a good place physically and mentally, where I am up for the challenge.

"Eddie [Howe] is relentless in the way that he works. He leaves no stone unturned. When I go in, I know exactly what I need to do."

Bundesliga reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt has been giving BBC Radio Newcastle some insight into what the Magpies have acquired in forward Nick Woltemade.

He explains: "Woltemade is a 1.98m bean pole so you think, 'holding the ball up'. No. His best skill is dribbling and it is a joy to watch.

"He started the at Stuttgart, coming in from Werder Bremen as a free. I'd heard from people who watch Werder Bremen more than I do to watch Woltemade you needed to see the bits he'd performed off the bench but he'd not had much of a chance.

"He came to Stuttgart and didn't make their Champions League squad. In November things started to click and he went from Woltemade to Wolte-Messi with the fans.

"He has this ability to dance through players at will and just be such a unique player. Sure, there are improvements to be made in terms of his hold up play, his coolness in front of goal. If Eddie Howe can get this guy moving further in the right direction then Newcastle have a very exciting player.

"Finally, one of his answers to me was 'I like to be the entertainer'. I think that's always exciting to hear from a football player."

Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle are all considering making a move to sign Brighton and Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke, 25, in 2026. (Teamtalk), external

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

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The dust has just about settled on a busy transfer window for Newcastle.

In total, the Magpies brought in seven players for a total of about £239m based on reported initial fees.

Those incomings were:

• Nick Woltemade - Stuttgart

• Anthony Elanga - Nottingham Forest

• Yoane Wissa - Brentford

• Jacob Ramsey - Aston Villa

• Malick Thiaw - AC Milan

• Antonio Cordero - Malaga

• Aaron Ramsdale - Southampton (loan)

*All permanent unless otherwise stated

It was an eventful window for outgoings at Newcastle, with exits for Alexander Isak, Sean Longstaff, Martin Dubravka and Callum Wilson among others.

Of all the summer incomings at St James' Park, who do you think will have the biggest impact?

Make your choice

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Newcastle United have announced the passing of former centre-forward Barrie Thomas at the age of 88.

Born in Measham, Thomas joined the Magpies from Scunthorpe United in 1962 for a then-club record fee and went on to score 50 goals in just 78 competitive appearances. He was particularly prolific in the 1963-64 campaign under Joe Harvey, netting 21 times before returning to Scunthorpe two years later.

Thomas began his career with Mansfield Town and also represented Barnsley before a cruciate knee injury forced him to retire in 1968, bringing an end to a 14-year professional career in which he scored more than 200 goals.

Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

Newcastle's New Stadium Development has been the subject of several questions sent in via our 'Ask about Newcastle' form.

We put your questions about the new stadium to our Newcastle reporter Ciaran Kelly.

Newcastle United had hoped to enter the "decision stage" earlier this year, but the wait goes on.

Should that necessarily come as a surprise?

Major developments have tended to take time since Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) bought a majority stake in the club in 2021.

The appointment of a new CEO has just been formally announced - nearly a year after Darren Eales confirmed he was stepping down.

But Newcastle have been especially keen to have all their ducks in a row before making a final call on the stadium given how complex and sensitive a decision it is.

It is certainly not lost on anyone inside Newcastle that this has a potential to be a game-changer for the club but, also, the city and the region.

Senior figures have been wary of rushing into a decision only to later regret not exploring an alternative scheme that could have had an even greater impact if they had just taken more time.

Neither option will be straightforward.

But it has repeatedly been stressed that the owners remain committed to investing "considerable sums" – whether Newcastle build a new stadium or transform St James' Park.

Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.

We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.

Find out more here

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United have appointed David Hopkinson as the club's new chief executive officer. He succeeds Darren Eales, who announced last September that he would be stepping down after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer.

Hopkinson joins from Madison Square Garden Sports, where he was president and chief operating officer, leading on the business operations of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.

The Canadian previously served as global head of partnerships at Real Madrid and spent over two decades as chief commercial officer at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, where he oversaw the commercial activities for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors.

"I am incredibly honoured to join Newcastle United at such an exciting time in the club's history," he said.

"This club represents something truly special. It has extraordinary history and heritage, incredibly passionate supporters, and ownership, players and staff who are committed to excellence.

"I greatly admire what has been achieved by the club so far, and I am excited and motivated by what is ahead as we strive to position Newcastle United among the world's elite clubs."

Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan said Hopkinson was an "outstanding executive whose track record across global sport and entertainment speaks for itself".

"His experience and strategic capabilities will be invaluable as we continue to build on the club's presence locally and grow it globally on and off the pitch," he added.

Hopkinson will officially join Newcastle on Friday.

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Former Newcastle United defender John Anderson believes Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw will need to be patient for their opportunities to start this season.

Anderson praised the recent performances of Fabian Schar and Dan Burn, noting that while Botman is arguably the club's best centre-back, the current pairing is making it difficult for others to break in.

The Magpies have made a solid start to their Premier League campaign, keeping two clean sheets in their opening three matches, both coming away from home against Leeds United and Aston Villa.

"Burn and Schar have been excellent," Anderson said on BBC Radio Newcastle. "They did what they had to do yet again over the weekend. All through last season they were great together as a pairing and individually, and they have started the season well again.

"If he [Schar] keeps performing the way he is performing and Dan Burn keeps performing the way he's performing, it's going to be difficult for them boys to get in. They are going to have to wait their turn because, and I know people will say they are not getting any younger, but they are still performing at a very high level."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Charlotte Robson
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United. Holder of my heart. Giver of white hair. The transfer window is over and we can breathe! But how did it go? Honestly, no notes! Couldn't have gone better. Loved how quiet it was.

Of course, I'm doing a fun BIT there because this transfer window has made me feel like a crazy person. The whole thing has been overshadowed by the Isak saga (now concluded with a confirmed move to Liverpool, for whom I assume he will at least train). It is a shame, actually, because we have done some quite nice little bits of business, despite all that drama.

We brought in Anthony Elanga early in the window to strengthen our speed down the wings. We brought in Nick Woltemade, a young German talent to help us going forward, and Yoane Wissa from Brentford to take the number nine shirt, as well as Malick Thiaw and Aaron Ramsdale to bolster our defensive options. Not to mention Jacob Ramsey.

You can't really argue with that window, bar the fact we have lost one of the best strikers in the world. Ignore that bit.

So has it been successful? That's for time to tell. I'm excited by our signings because we were crying out for depth. Nobody wanted us to go back to the Parc des Princes without a full bench. We have so many games to play this season and now we have options. Even Eddie Howe sounded pleased with the squad in his post-Leeds comments on Saturday.

It is, obviously, a blow to have lost Alexander Isak, and to have lost him in very public fashion. It is terrible to allow Liverpool fans on the internet the opportunity to gloat more than normal.

But this window hasn't been bad by any stretch of the imagination, and I'm looking forward to really getting our season started.

Transfer window rating: 7/10.

Find more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external

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Alexander Isak's transfer saga has set a "really bad precedent" going forward but would have been "weird" if the striker had not gone for the move to Liverpool says FourFourTwo journalist Matt Ketchell.

"I think a sensible resolution was met in the end," Ketchell told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"As soon as you get a player who doesn't want to be at the football club, it's better to move them on. I think Newcastle just wanted to get the value and the replacement, which they managed."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on Alexander Isak's thank you message to Newcastle on social media - and your response was unequivocal.

Here are some of your comments:

Utsav: That message holds no meaning now after being so disrespectful to the club, fans and city of Newcastle all summer. He has every right to move forward in his career but there is proper way to do it. He should see Marc Guehi as an example. It's just total hypocrisy from Isak and he has already lost all the respect. No point in releasing the message after such a disgraceful exit.

Mel: It feels very much like a PR message. No way did Isak write it! Actions will always speak louder than words and the two don't match. Respect is earned and he lost any I had for him with his behaviour.

Stephen: Too little, too late. You will never be forgiven. We will be better without you. We move on, we continue our road to better things.

Joe: Clearly not grateful given that he's spent the summer sulking to force the move. Far too easy for him to say now, but he's tarnished his reputation and legacy at the club by going about it the way he has.

Paul: Not interested.

KD: Talk about rubbing salt in the wound - Newcastle are best rid of him.

Kev: He made his bed and now wants to be forgiven. If he had put in an official request it may have been different. He didn't burn his bridges, he cut down all the tress so they couldn't be rebuilt.

Anne: Actions speak louder than words.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool fan Neil Atkinson from The Anfield Wrap says he has no concerns over Alexander Isak's behaviour following the striker's record-breaking move from Newcastle.

Isak separated himself from Newcastle during pre-season and stated he had been given certain assurances about the path of his future - a claim his former club denied.

He ultimately got his desired move to Liverpool, while Newcastle recruited Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Atkinson said: "In the end Newcastle have done all right, but they could have made a few of these moves in June, had them for pre-season and their new front line-up could have played against Liverpool.

"Where Newcastle have ended up is actually a pretty decent place. There's a few clubs that have got to look back on this window and reflect about whether or not they've dealt with the long-term planning.

"From Isak's point of view, it sounds like he and his agent repeatedly made it clear he wanted to leave this summer but Newcastle refused to listen.

"More players should put in transfer requests. They should all have release clauses put in. It's madness that they don't.

"I don't think there should be these six, seven, eight-year-deals - it should be outlawed.

"All Isak could have done is repeatedly tell the club 'I want to go' and he's done that. Ultimately, Newcastle have got £125m for him.

"Eddie Howe has carried himself brilliantly through the whole process. I don't think anyone's acted dishonourably."