Eddie Howe wanted reinforcements and got them - although he had to wait
Football content editor for Chronicle Live, Sunderland Live, Gazette Live, Leeds Live, Yorkshire Live and Hull Live. A North East native, he has been working in sports journalism since 1995. Stuart has worked on the Sunday Sun, Chronicle and the Journal since move from the Gateshead Post in 1999.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has some big selection decisions to make
(Image: Getty Images)
Cast your mind back to May. Newcastle United had just qualified for the Champions League to cap an excellent season which had also seen them lift their first domestic silverware in the Carabao Cup.
But as the cheers echoed around St James' Park, head coach Eddie Howe was not sitting on his laurels, urging the club hierarchy to act quickly to strengthen the squad for the challenge that was to come.
Eight Champions League fixtures on top of an already hectic Premier League and domestic cup schedule meant Newcastle simply had to add to their squad - ideally in time for pre-season training so Howe could work with the new faces and hit the ground running.
Of course, it didn't quite go to plan. But as the dust settles on the summer trading period, you could make a strong argument that Howe has got what he wanted.
Content Image
Content Image
No one should pretend he would have much preferred to have Alexander Isak in his squad for the months to come, but while the Swede's transfer bombshell made life more difficult than it needs to be, Newcastle have emerged from a difficult few months with a robust squad.
Take Isak out of the equation and Newcastle went into the summer needing another centre-back, more competition in midfield, a right-sided forward and someone to challenge Nick Pope for the No 1 spot - and potentially take over in coming seasons.
The winger problem was sorted relatively quickly with Anthony Elanga's arrival from Nottingham Forest for £55m. We've not seen a lot from the Sweden star yet, but that will hopefully change now he has a centre-forward to play with.
Malick Thiaw is a player Newcastle have admired for some time, and his capture gives Howe a complement of four top-class centre-backs, along with Dan Burn, Fabian Schar and Sven Botman.
Botman and Thiaw may be the future, but try removing Burn and Schar from the first team right now. They've both started the season incredibly impressively, not that it should be a surprise to anyone.
In midfield, Sean Longstaff's exit left a gap that has been filled by Jacob Ramsey, with the former Aston Villa star an exciting talent. He gives Howe a different option from Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, and along with Joe Willock and Lewis Miley, forms a formidable midfield unit.
And so to the frontline. United always wanted to add to their striker options, with Callum Wilson departing once his contract expired.
It felt like a conveyor belt of players turning United down, with Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko all opting for other destinations.
Isak threw a spanner in the works by withdrawing his services, and the need for one became two - and more urgent.
That it took until the final weekend of the window - and three games in to the season - to secure a club record deal for Nick Woltemade is disappointing, but there is excitement over what the 23-year-old German can bring.
Yoane Wissa's deadline day arrival - after months of back and forth with Brentford - is the final piece of the jigsaw. It feels like United have over-paid, but what choice did they have at the 11th hour?
What's certain is that he's a Premier League-proven striker and that counts for an awful lot.
It leaves United with a potential side that cost a cool £453m - and that doesn't even include Ramsey or Wissa, nor does it reflect how much some of these players will now be worth.
Potential NUFC XI: Pope (£12m), Livramento £40m), Thiaw, (£34m), Botman (£35m), Hall (£35m), Tonali (£52m), Guimaraes (£40m), Joelinton (£40m), Gordon (£45m), Elanga (£55m), Woltemade (£65m).
That would leave a bench including Kieran Trippier, Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Schar, Burn, Wissa, Ramsey, Ramsdale and Miley - some prospect . . .
Pick your Newcastle XI
So what do you think Howe's strongest XI is? Indeed does he need one, with a raft of games coming up that will demand rotation from the squad?
Where do Wissa and Woltemade fit in, can they play together, will it mean a tweaking of the midfield three to allow for a No 10?
They are all questions that will be answered over the coming weeks - but for now, it's over to you to pick your best Newcastle starting XI from a fully fit squad.
All you have to do is pick your Newcastle United XI from the squad above - you can pick the formation and who plays where. We'll then compile the most popular XI from all the selections.
Howe will have Woltemade and Wissa available when United face Wolves after the international break, but Anthony Gordon serves the second of a three-match ban, while Joelinton will be assessed following a knock picked up against Liverpool.