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At the weekend, Toon supporters were reminded of the Newcastle United they have been riveted by over the past several years.
Matthias Jaissle certainly needed that two-goal victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. His side had lost back-to-back games on the road, both by 4-1 scorelines, and fell to a limp defeat against Aston Villa at St. James' Park after that.
Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle
Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle
The signings are starting to bed in, and it's got us thinking about the finest arrivals since PIF assumed ownership back in 2021, sparking an illustrious era which they still believe can be topped.
PIF's best Newcastle signings
It's been a wild ride for the Tynesiders. Eddie Howe's departure signalled an end, but it's also the start of something new, with Jaissle's side looking to make headway and return to the Champions League, challenging for silverware once again.
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Newcastle's Premier League Journey under Eddie Howe
Season
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24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22
It was a tough summer for the Magpies; it felt like all Newcastle's superstars were torn away from the project. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali and, last but not least, Bruno Guimaraes all left for pastures new after the slump of last season.
There's a strong case to be made that these three players have been Newcastle's finest, all instrumental throughout the best days of the Howe era.
Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali
Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali
There are also shrewder arrivals such as Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier to consider, but while the aforementioned are all elite players, there's a strong case to be made that Alexander Isak was the one who made it all possible, after joining from Real Sociedad for £60m in 2022.
Why Alexander Isak is still PIF's best Newcastle signing
Four years ago, Isak arrived at Newcastle for a pretty penny, but there's no question that the Magpies got bang for their buck with the Swedish striker, who was one of the Premier League's most prolific strikers across his three years at the club.
At the height of his Toon powers, Isak was even called "the best striker in the Premier League" by Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher in January 2025, months before Newcastle powered their way to the Carabao Cup title, beating Liverpool in the final.
Isak scored in that one, but that goal alone didn't cement him as one of the outfit's finest over his time there. Prolific and unpredictable in the final third, the 6 foot 3 attacker was at times unstoppable, finishing with knife-cut precision but also connecting play and outthinking opponents with clever movement.
The 27-year-old might have left in mutinous circumstances, forcing his way out and joining Liverpool for a British-record £125m last year, but this does not take away from the fact he is one of the very best to do it in a Newcastle shirt.
Most important was the impact he made at the club, catapulting them into the ascendancy. Now, it looks like Jaissle has welcomed someone who could emulate Isak's signing.
Jaissle loves Newcastle's best signing since Isak
In attack, Newcastle are leaving a lot to be desired at the moment, but they have signed an excellent creative auxillary in the form of right-back Amar Dedic, who Jaissle personally picked to join him at Newcastle in a £30m deal, having previously won the Austrian title under the German with RB Salzburg.
Creatively, Dedic is off to a flyer. The 24-year-old has supplied four assists in black and white already, despite only playing eight games. Reporter Charlie Bennett said he has been "the one summer signing that had Matthias Jaissle’s mitts all over it", and it's clear to see why. Dedic understands the style his manager is looking to implement, and Jaissle has praised his protege's "exceptional" start to life at the club.
In some ways, it's a bit of a rogue call to hail Dedic as Newcastle's finest signing since Isak. After all, Tino Livramento is among the most talented full-backs in Europe. Admired from the get-go, Theo Walcott once said of the former Southampton prospect that he could be a "future England captain".
Unfortunately for Livramento, though, football can be cruel, and incessant injury problems are threatening the 23-year-old's starting role in Jaissle's Newcastle line-up.
After all, Dedic is a signing of Jaissle's choosing, and the emphatic way in which he has started his career in England suggests that even a fully-fit Livramento might struggle to knock the Bosnia-Herzegovina defender out of the way.
Amar Dedic for Newcastle
Amar Dedic for Newcastle
Newcastle aren't exactly spotless as a defensive unit, but Dedic has made a positive effect which could end up lifting a struggling backline. He is combative and physical and up for the fight that will follow the Magpies throughout the campaign.
This is all to say that Dedic could end up being one of the most astute pieces of business that Newcastle have made for some time, someone who could enjoy the emphatic impact that saw Isak make a big difference and drive Newcastle to the Carabao Cup title and multiple seasons in Europe.
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