Newcastle United have missed out on several players this summer, but a failed move in 2023 for a new Ballon d’Or nominee has left them wondering what could have been.
Fans will be happy to see the back of this transfer window after failing to land the signatures of top targets.
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been desperate to make improvements to his squad this summer, but has seen his side fall at the final hurdle on multiple occasions despite putting in a lot of work. Most recently, Benjamin Sesko rejected Newcastle for Manchester United, even though the Magpies offered RB Leipzig a higher transfer fee.
Elsewhere, Joao Pedro turned down Newcastle’s offers for Chelsea, with the Brazilian believing he has more of a chance of playing at next year’s World Cup with the Blues.
Newcastle have also lost out on the likes of James Trafford and Dean Huijsen this summer, despite encouragement from both players that they would like to join.
Now, a failed deal from 2023 has come back to haunt Newcastle, after it was revealed they received a nomination for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
Scott McTominay of SSC Napoli celebrates with team mates at the end of the Serie A football match between SSC Napoli and Cagliari Calcio
Photo by Elianton/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
Former Newcastle United target Scott McTominay nominated for Ballon d’Or
If you had told any football fan a couple of years ago that Scott McTominay had been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, they would have laughed in your face. However, the Scotland international has been sensational in Italy and has more than earned his nod.
McTominay joined Serie A side Napoli during the 2024 summer transfer window to play under former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte and was a major part of their league title win last season. The 28-year-old registered 18 goal involvements for Napoli last season, including a goal in the final game of the campaign to help the Italian giants win the league title.
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However, McTominay’s story could have been completely different if the stars had aligned in 2023. Reports at the time stated that McTominay was open to joining Newcastle from Man United during the January transfer window, but a move never came to fruition.
Sadly, Newcastle could not afford to sign McTominay that window, and PSR issues continued to plague them for almost two years. It has worked out well in the end for Newcastle, as they signed Sandro Tonali from AC Milan.
Newcastle United star snubbed from Ballon d’Or nominations
It has been 20 years since the last Newcastle player was given a nomination for the Ballon d’Or, but the hope is that the Magpies will be represented on one of the biggest stages in the near future.
Many believed that Alexander Isak would have been included on the list of nominees, despite speculation around his future at Newcastle. However, the 25-year-old was nowhere to be seen.
Isak scored 23 Premier League goals last season and helped Newcastle win the Carabao Cup and Champions League, but FIFA did not deem his form good enough to be included in the shortlist.
Perhaps the Swede will get his chance to shine if he moves elsewhere, but as it stands, he will still be a Newcastle player next season.