According to reports, Newcastle United have “everything in place” as they look to finalise deals to land their two ‘top targets’ this summer.
The Magpies are preparing for their Champions League return after a great season under Eddie Howe in 2024/25, winning the Carabao Cup andfinishing fifth in the Premier League.
Newcastle have achieved these impressive feats after enduring a couple of frustrating transfer windows, in which they had to focus on outgoings to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
They are heading into this summer’s transfer window in a much stronger position as they have balanced the books and can go on the attack this summer.
In previous windows, Newcastle’s priority was to sign a centre-back and right-winger, but they missed out on Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and former teammate Michael Olise.
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Newcastle failed with several bids for Guehi as they did not match Crystal Palace’s reported £65m asking price.
The centre-back has also been linked with other Premier League clubs and he’s likely to be sold this summer, with his current contract due to expire in 2026.
A report from The Telegraph claims Newcastle are ‘ready to swoop’ for Guehi and Brentford standout Bryan Mbeumo, who is their other ‘top target’ this summer.
Mbeumo was one of the best wingers in the Premier League this season as he scored 20 goals for the London outfit.
His form has not gone unnoticed as a potential move to Manchester United has also been mooted ahead of this summer’s window.
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Newcastle are said to be primed to make their ‘first moves’ for Guehi and Mbeumo with their summer ‘budget decided’. It is also noted that the forward is likely to cost £50-60m, while they ‘hope a compromise can be reached’ for the centre-back.
A ‘well-placed source’ for The Telegraph claims the Magpies have “everything in place” ahead of moving for these targets.
They said: “Everything is in place, all the work that has been done on players has been finished and now we have to push the button and get those deals done. We know who we want.”
It is also claimed that it is “business as usual” at St James’ Park following the exit of sporting director Paul Mitchell, with ‘a goalkeeper, a striker to play alongside Alexander Isak and possibly another central midfield player if one is sold this summer, the other positions they would like to strengthen’.
Newcaslte boss Howe recently admitted that he wants his side to move quickly in the market this summer: “Speed is key for us.
“I’ve reiterated that many times internally. Speed is key because we have to be dynamic, we have to be ready to conclude things very, very quickly because good players don’t hang around for long.
“That’s always been my thought and my message on recruitment because you can have a period where you think you’ve got time, but then you can look around very quickly and realise that that time has elapsed and you have missed opportunities that you won’t get again.
“That’s what we’ll be trying, but obviously the reality of that is it’s not always in your hands. But we’ll be doing our best to do things early.”