Newcastle United are looking to bolster their squad in preparation for the 2025-26 Premier League and Champions League.
Newcastle will be looking to make some big moves in the transfer market this summer after successfully navigating PSR troubles and securing a return to the Champions League.
The return to the Champions League brings with it added challenges for Eddie Howe and his squad, as well as additional rules to adhere to.
In addition to the financial rules, Newcastle will also have to comply with UEFA’s squad rules, which differ from the Premier League.
The squad UEFA rules saw Howe forced to turn to academy players to be named on the bench for high-profile Champions League matches against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan during an injury crisis.
Newcastle United set to be punished by UEFA rules in Champions League
UEFA rules require at least four club-trained players to be named in a squad in order to fill the full 25-man quota for the Champions League.
As things stand, Sean Longstaff is Newcastle’s only club-trained player. Lewis Miley can also be classed as club-trained but, as he’s under 21, he does not need to be included in the main squad list.
But with Longstaff facing an uncertain future at Newcastle and linked with a move away from the club, Newcastle’s squad size risks being reduced to just 21 players for their upcoming Champions League campaign as Howe would be left without any club-trained players.
After struggling to deal with the added fixtures of European football last time around, having a reduced European squad for next season could be seen as a risk for Howe’s side.
But Newcastle could still find a way around the situation by turning to the free agent market.
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Newcastle United club-trained players available for free
Although Newcastle have just one senior club-trained player at the moment, there are several players available on free transfers this summer who meet the criteria.
A club-trained player is any player who played for the club in question for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
This week, momentum has gathered over the possibility of signing Fraser Forster, who is set to be released by Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the month. While Forster never made a competitive appearance for Newcastle, he progressed through the club’s academy before enjoying a successful career in the Premier League and Scotland.
Signing Forster would allow Newcastle to fill the goalkeeper and club-trained player squad quotas, effectively allowing an additional senior outfield player to be named in the squad. The Magpies’ goalkeeper situation is also up in the air with uncertainty over the future of Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka while John Ruddy is set to leave as a free agent at the end of the month.
Additionally, Odysseas Vlachodimos is out of favour and Mark Gillespie’s contract also expires at the end of the month, but there has been talk of a potential new deal for the 33-year-old with Newcastle’s retained list set to be confirmed.
Although Forster wouldn’t be a serious contender for a starting spot, he does bring a wealth of experience in the Champions League, having made 30 appearances in the competition across spells at Spurs and Celtic.
The 37-year-old isn’t the only Newcastle club-trained goalkeeper available on free transfer this summer with Tim Krul and Freddie Woodman also available.
The only outfield player who is a free agent this summer and ‘club-trained’ at Newcastle United is 39-year-old James Milner. Milner played just three times for Brighton & Hove Albion in 2024-25 and is thought to be considering staying on the South Coast in a coaching capacity.
Other Newcastle club-trained players who have played in the Premier League this season include Elliot Anderson and Adam Armstrong. Newcastle would be required to sign three club-trained players in order to fill a full 25-man squad in Europe next season.
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