Newcastle made six summer signings but only two of them have slotted into the club's starting XI
Newcastle United Sporting Director Ross Wilson
Newcastle United Sporting Director Ross Wilson(Image: 2025 Newcastle United)
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When Newcastle United named their starting XI to face Brentford on Sunday, only two of the club's six summer signings were included by Eddie Howe.
The club's £69million record signing Nick Woltemade led the line up front and Malick Thiaw, who joined from AC Milan for £35million, has been a revelation at the back.
But it was perhaps the signings who weren't involved from the start that is the bigger talking point for new sporting director Ross Wilson to ponder.
Wilson was in attendance as Newcastle capitulated at the Gtech Community Stadium and it won't have been lost on him that of the club's summer signings, Aaron Ramsdale, Jacob Ramsey and Anthony Elanga were on the bench and Yoane Wissa was not involved.
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That amounts to £154million worth of talent that currently are not considered as part of Newcastle's strongest XI.
Ramsdale has done well but is yet to usurp Nick Pope as the number one goalkeeper, Ramsey has struggled to replicate his form at Aston Villa at Newcastle and Elanga is yet to register a Premier League goal or assist despite regularly contributing both at Nottingham Forest.
That is before we discuss the fact Wissa is yet to play a single second for Newcastle after picking up a knee injury just days after completing his £55milion move from Brentford.
We should qualify all of that by saying it is still early days in all of their United careers and this is not a piece writing them off by any means. Howe told Chronicle Live last month that it has taken a while for players in the past to get used to the 'Newcastle Way' and that it will be 'worth the wait' when they do grasp it.
It is also undeniable that all of those signings have improved Newcastle's squad depth and it has allowed them to rotate more and be competitive across more competitions. They have certainly felt the benefit of that in the Champions League this season.
That was the sentiment after the transfer window and while it remains true today it is also fair to suggest Newcastle were probably looking for more from their summer recruits than what they have shown so far.
It is also clear now what Wilson's priority has to be in the transfer market going forward. Newcastle have a strong base to build on, but future recruits have to be cast iron improvements on their starting XI.
If they fail to achieve that, it is hard to see how much further the club can continue to progress.