Newcastle United are plotting a big summer in the transfer market after a few difficult windows.
Newcastle are looking to secure Champions League qualification on Sunday before the summer transfer window opens on June 1.
Champions League football is sure to have an impact on both clubs in the transfer market as they look to keep hold of key players while also attracting new ones.
Newcastle are in a healthy PSR situation heading into the summer after limited spending in recent transfer windows while also improving on the pitch with a Champions League charge and Carabao Cup this season.
While Aston Villa have been competitive across multiple competitions this season, reaching the Champions League quarter-final, FA Cup semi-final and pushing for a top five finish - they have continued to spend in the transfer market.
Unai Emery’s side have also sold player for significant sums of money to help aid their PSR situation but it’s understood that the club are still looking for more sales before the June 30 PSR deadline.
And this is where Newcastle could help out, while also taking advantage.
Eddie Howe wants Newcastle United to ‘take advantage’ of PSR deadline
After being victims last summer, Newcastle could look to get their transfer business done before the PSR deadline after creating some financial headroom to make signings rather than sales before June 30.
And with clubs like Villa looking to offload players, it’s a situation Howe wants to see Newcastle benefit from.
“It's great that the window opens on June 1,” Howe said. “The challenge is for us to sign players in early June.
"But it doesn't always work like that. I hope in reality it does, but it rarely works like that.
"It gets harder and harder to sign good players. So I'd rather sign the right player than settle for someone and get them in early, but let's wait and see, it is very difficult to predict.”
Howe added: “I’ve made it clear last year that there’s almost two transfer windows now. The PSR deadline plays a huge role for clubs – both those clubs with PSR issues and those without, because those without may potentially look to try to sign players. They will look to take advantage of other clubs, as clubs did to us last year, quite rightly.
“It’s a really interesting dynamic, and one that we’re really aware of and that we’ll try to use to our advantage if we can.
“I can’t go into the details of that, but no doubt we’ve got people at the club who are working very hard behind the scenes on it.”
Newcastle United & Aston Villa ‘swap’ deal mooted
Last year Newcastle got out of PSR danger by reluctantly selling Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for £35million. While the deal represented a joint club record sale for The Magpies, in reality, it was more of a PSR swap deal for £15million as goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos headed in the opposite direction for £20million.
The situation solved both Newcastle’s and Forest’s PSR problems, although Newcastle were the ones left with the short straw.
Next month, Newcastle could look to be the ones benefiting from such a deal with Aston Villa instead.
Mail Online have claimed Aston Villa are interested in Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes. Barnes has enjoyed a solid season on Tyneside, scoring nine goals in 32 Premier League appearances.
The signing of Barnes for £38million from Leicester City in 2023 raised some questions from a PSR standpoint as it’s believed the club would struggle to sell the winger at a profit - which is not the case with any of their other signings.
But Villa’s interest, paired with Newcastle’s interest in Villa’s academy product Jacob Ramsey, has given rise to talk around a potential swap deal of sorts between the clubs. It’s a move that could benefit Villa in terms of PSR due to amortisation and academy players being viewed as ‘pure profit’ sales, while Newcastle could get an early bargain that would unlock more doors in the transfer market.
Ramsey has just one goal in 28 Premier League appearances for Villa this season, but at just 23, is viewed as a player of high potential who could flourish on Tyneside.
Although Barnes has enjoyed a solid season at Newcastle, his long-term place in the side is up for debate given Anthony Gordon’s preference to play on the left wing and Jacob Murphy’s form on the right.
Gordon’s injury, form and suspension have given Barnes an opportunity that he has ultimately taken. But if Gordon gets back to his very best, Barnes may have to settle for a place on the bench once again.
Newcastle’s stance is that they don’t want to lose Barnes this summer, given his impact during the 2024-25 season. But as we saw last summer, you can’t rule anything out when PSR is at play.
Eddie Howe on Harvey Barnes’s impact at Newcastle United
Barnes’ first season at Newcastle was badly hit by injury, but the winger was still able to contribute with five goals and three assists in only seven Premier League starts.
This season he has managed to have a more consistent run in the side though he has been moved around between the left wing and right wing depending on Gordon’s availability.
“Harvey's played in his position and he’s played it very well,” Howe said. “He's an undoubted goal threat in every game and he's one of our highest players for shooting and chances created, so I'm delighted that he's shown everybody just how good he is.”
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