Gabri Veiga of Al Ahli has been linked with a move to Newcastle United.
Gabri Veiga of Al Ahli has been linked with a move to Newcastle United.
Newcastle United supporters know there'll be a number of new faces on Tyneside by the time the summer transfer window closes at the start of September and much of that depends on qualification for the Champions League.
Despite defeat at Arsenal at the weekend, Newcastle can still guarantee themselves a return to Europe's elite competition with a win over Everton on the final day of the season at St. James' Park.
The Magpies' Carabao Cup triumph means Eddie Howe and co. are already guaranteed Conference League football in 2025/26, but the finances involved in the Champions League dwarf any other competition.
With Premier League club's needing to tread carefully in terms of PSR and Financial Fair Play, Newcastle know they'll have to box clever again in the upcoming transfer market.
A right-winger, striker and centre-half remain the priority areas for the Toon in the upcoming transfer window, which is why it was surprising to see Al-Ahli's Gabri Veiga linked with a move to St. James' Park in recent days.
It's not the first time the Spanish playmaker has been tipped for a move to the club, with transfer speculation first doing the rounds back in 2023 before a move to Saudi Arabia.
Veiga was reportedly tracked by the likes of Newcastle, Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid before his move to Al-Ahli, where he's helped the club win the AFC Champions League for the first time in the clubs history.
The Spanish talent has been tipped for a return to Europe this summer and clubs in the Champions League will be on high alert. The reported chase will be aided by the fact both the Magpies and Veiga's current club are owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, though the Premier League will undoubtedly have a close eye on the finances involved in any deal.
Veiga has played predominantly as a number ten, a position Newcastle don't utilise in their current set-up, but his arrival would provide more options for Howe to tinker with his set-up.
Gabri Veiga of Al Ahli has been linked with a move to Newcastle United this summer.
That being said, the Magpies aren't exactly short of options in the heart of midfield and there would be an expectation departures to be sanctioned before any replacements come through the door.
Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff are the two midfielders who have struggled to nail down a spot in the starting XI this season and the latter has been linked with a move to Everton and Leeds United this summer.
It remains to be seen if either player will leave the club, but given Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimares and Joelinton have made the Newcastle engine room their own, the arrival of a new midfielder isn't a priority.
If neither Willock or Longstaff departs, the Magpies run the risk of having an inflated squad with only 25 players available for registration in the Premier League.
Of course, they'll need strength in depth ahead of what's likely to be a congested fixture list with European football in midweek, but improving the squad has to be a priority and doing so in a manner that benefist the club financially long term.