· 4 August 2025, 21:30
**Newcastle United fans ended last season full of optimism. The team had secured a spot in next season's Champions League and lifted a domestic trophy for the first time in 70 years.**
Not only that, but all reports pointed towards Newcastle being free of PSR concerns and having a decent budget to play with this summer. With Champions League football to offer and a trophy in the cabinet, surely the Magpies would look like a good destination for any prospective targets.
Unfortunately, the reality has been very different. Players we've tried to sign have opted to move elsewhere, sometimes the decisions have seemed purely financially driven - Bryan Mbeumo, anyone? - But whatever the reality behind the players' choices, the fact is, Newcastle have really struggled.
That's before we get into the Alexander Isak situation. All of this has formed a dark cloud over the club, and what should have been an exciting summer for the Toon Army has turned into a living nightmare.
Alan Shearer was a reet misery guts on The Rest Is Football this week
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Even former Newcastle No. 9, Alan Shearer, hasn't been immune to the cloud of negativity. He was well and truly on his high horse on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast on Monday, telling the club to sell Isak and also labelling the window as 'disastrous'.
> “Up to now, it's been a disastrous window for Newcastle. It was meant to be the time we kicked on with heavy investment and hopefully go to another level. It's been anything but that to be honest.
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> “They've missed out on several first-choice targets, so up to now it's been really poor. Their transfer window has been a mess.”
The time for action is now
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The season gets underway in under two weeks, but the transfer window doesn't close until 1st September. There's still time to get deals done, but Eddie Howe's calls for early signings have well and truly gone unheeded.
With some tough games to kick off the season, it could be a slow start in the Premier League for the Magpies, with signings still to come in and those who do arrive needing time to get up to speed.
However, we didn't exactly hit the ground running last season, and we still finished strong. It's far too early to be worrying about the outcome in May, but we'd just like something positive to cling on to for now, please.