Newcastle are preparing for a Champions League campaign while Fulham look to improve in the Premier League this summer transfer window
It’s been a mixed start to a pivotal transfer window for Newcastle United - particularly in the striker department where Eddie Howe has received two significant yet contrasting updates this week.
Howe was beaten to the signature of Liam Delap as the Ipswich Town striker inked a six-year deal with Chelsea, who activated the 22-year-old’s £30 million release clause to strike what could be one of the bargains of the summer.
He was Newcastle’s top target to bring to St. James’ Park but this is a summer that Howe expects to spend protecting his current stars as much as chasing new ones and dominoes falling elsewhere (including Delap) means the Magpies have received a major boost in their quest to keep their biggest star.
Alexander Isak looks increasingly likely to stay on Tyneside with Arsenal homing in on Benjamin Sesko and Chelsea and Manchester United seemingly out of the picture - the Swede looked set to be one of the most highly coveted players this window but has three years remaining on his contract and significantly less realistic interest from the continent, with no other Premier League suitors.
Newcastle’s pursuits of Marc Guehi and Bryan Mbeumo also look set to fail as attention turns to bringing in a secondary striker to provide competition for Isak regardless of whether Callum Wilson stays. Wilson enjoyed a bright start to his life on Tyneside, striking 39 times at around a goal every other Premier League game in his first three seasons but now aged 33, the Coventry-born frontman only played 357 top-flight minutes in 2024/25.
He was left off Newcastle’s retained list though the Magpies explicitly stated discussions are ongoing with Wilson about signing a new contract after he failed to meet an appearance threshold last season to trigger an automatic extension.
So a new striker target has emerged for Newcastle in the form of Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz, according to NUFC blog, and the Magpies could have a secret weapon to get him on the cheap in the form of Joe Willock.
Rodrigo Muniz can replicate Jhon Duran’s Champions League impact for Newcastle
Muniz was in red-hot form in his debut Premier League campaign, netting nine times, and he only scored one fewer from 40% less minutes last season leading Fulham to slap a £50m price tag on the Brazilian.
Muniz thrives running onto long balls and beating the goalkeeper from counter-attacks (remind you of any other strikers in black and white?) and is a supreme poacher in the penalty area - his average shot distance of 12 yards is low compared to other Premier League strikers though he doesn’t get as involved in build-up play as Isak.
Realistically Muniz would be unlikely to displace the Swede in Howe’s game-to-game starting XI but he’d provide Newcastle with a strong rotation option, and a superb set of fresh legs to bring off the bench with 20-30 minutes to go and come up with a goal. Though shorter than Isak at 6’1, Muniz is a certified (and identified) aerial phenomenon too winning more battles in the air per game than 97% of Premier League strikers, as the club prepare to battle on two fronts once again this season after returning to the Champions League.
Jhon Duran showed with Aston Villa just how deadly a ‘rotation option’ can be even on Europe’s biggest stage and Muniz could have a similar impact at Newcastle, though his hefty price tag could be an issue for a club who can’t go on a spending spree this summer. But that’s where Willock comes in
Expendable Joe Willock fills hole for Marco Silva
Newcastle signed Willock for £25m in 2021 - their second post expensive signing ever pre-Saudi takeover, behind Joelinton - but the now-25-year-old has struggled for gametime on Tyneside as the years have worn on and his only 90-minute appearances this season came against League 1 and 2 opposition in the form of Birmingham City and AFC Wimbledon.
The Magpies aren’t desperate to sell Willock this summer but reportedly value him at around £15m and will listen to offers. Fulham have expressed interest as Willock would join fellow former Gunners Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi and Bernd Leno at Craven Cottage and bolster Marco Silva’s midfield options.
Cottagers stalwart Tom Cairney is out of contract this summer after 354 appearances in black and white and has been heavily linked with a move to the Championship with promoted sides Wrexham and Birmingham interested in signing the Scot - who has also been offered a new contract by Fulham. Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic can flatter to deceive on occasion too so central midfield is one of the top areas to improve for Silva this summer and Willock would certainly help in that regard.
Meanwhile a swap deal would help Newcastle United who could be walking something of a tightrope this summer with a projected maximum allowable loss for PSR of £83m, so recouping some money for Willock while landing a discount on Muniz would tick two boxes and unlock plenty of other fascinating options this transfer window or beyond.
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