Newcastle United have history with summer transfer target Joao Pedro.
The Magpies are in the market for a new striker, with Joao Pedro on Newcastle United’s radar.
He is a player that Eddie Howe knows very well. After all, Newcastle United nearly signed Pedro in 2022 before they brought Alexander Isak to the club.
Now Newcastle United are interested in the Brazilian again, and are eager for him to play alongside Isak.
Pedro, who joined Brighton in 2023 for £30million, has the potential to be a superstar at St James’ Park. However, it was only a few years ago that he left everyone associated with Newcastle United completely deflated.
Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty Images
Joao Pedro broke Newcastle United hearts in 2022 with crushing goal
While Newcastle United are a Champions League club that has won a trophy, the landscape was very different when Howe arrived as manager.
He was tasked with keeping the club in the Premier League, and that almost looked like mission impossible after 15th January 2022.
On that day, they faced Watford at St James’ Park. Newcastle had only won one game all season, and the clash with the Hornets appeared to be the perfect moment to pick up another three points.
MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES
That was set to happen, with Allan Saint-Maximin giving the home side a 1-0 lead.
However, disaster struck in the 88th minute. Watford snatched an equaliser, with Joao Pedro rising in front of the Gallowgate to crash home a header and break Toon hearts.
On the result, Howe told the Independent: “We saw today as a huge opportunity and that’s why it hurts so much. We were really pleased with what we saw up until half-time, so that gave us even more optimism that we could go on and win this match.
“1-0 for me is not the time to go into our shells. For me, that’s the time to put the game to bed, that’s the best way to handle that situation.
“But we have to understand the players’ mentality at this moment in time, maybe not thinking the same way, so that’s something we can change.”
Newcastle United fans need a transfer lift after slow start
News of Newcastle United’s interest comes at a time when multiple transfer targets have passed the Magpies by. Bryan Mbeumo is not joining Newcastle, while the likes of Liam Delap and Matheus Cunha are also moving elsewhere.
That is despite Eddie Howe wanting a fast start to Newcastle’s transfer business. Instead, they are standing still as targets move elsewhere.
Alas, Newcastle still have confidence in their transfer plans.
That confidence will certainly translate to the Toon Army if a deal can be struck to sign Pedro from Brighton. He could be the player to give Newcastle United lift-off in the 2025 summer transfer window.