The Magpies have already started to check out the best talent around world football as they make subtle change to transfer policy
Yasir Al-Rumayyan and inset, Ross Wilson
Newcastle United's Yasir Al-Rumayyan and inset, Ross Wilson
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Newcastle United would be pushing against an open door if they decide to renew interest in Scott McTominay.
The World Cup-bound Scotland ace stunned Denmark with a tremendous overhead kick at Hampden Park this week and helped steer his country to the finals next summer. McTominay has reportedly been unsettled in Italy with Napoli and has been linked with a move back to the Premier League.
Newcastle were linked with McTominay a couple of years ago when a loan deal was mooted. But he left Man United for £25.7m to sign for the Naples club.
Since then, McTominay has been a revelation in Serie A with a glut of goals and a nomination for the Ballon d'Or no less. Since the rumours of McTominay wanting a return to British shores broke, the player's agency have maintained a dignified silence.
Newcastle are monitoring the situation but sources close to McTominay have indicated that were the Magpies to make a move, he would be "open" to signing for United and interested in working with Eddie Howe.
It's one to watch, but it is also a deal that wouldn't come cheap with McTominay under contract until 2028. McTominay would cost at least double the price Napoli paid Man United last summer.
Newcastle's new transfer policy begins to take shape
Eddie Howe was told by PIF chiefs in the summer that the club would prefer to sign younger stars. The situation came to light when United investigated replacements for the wantaway Alexander Isak.
The names of both Yoane Wissa and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins were put forward to the board, but Howe was told he could only sign one of the more senior stars. The door is certainly not closed on signing experienced campaigners, as the Wissa deal proved.
However, Howe will get a lot more success with transfer requests with younger stars and it is the "emerging talent" bracket that Newcastle are focusing on now. It is understood that Steve Nickson was an interested spectator at the recent FIFA Under-17 World Cup and Newcastle have also sent talent spotters to Qatar for the ongoing Under-20 World Cup.
Nickson is now reporting up to sporting director Ross Wilson with Newcastle eager to get in ahead of some of their top five rivals in future windows. Chelsea pipped a host of Premier League sides to the signing of Estêvão last summer after setting up a deal for the teenager in 2024.
The Magpies are keen to get similar deals tied up with Nickson's contacts in South America something Wilson may want to take advantage of.
Toon stars set for longer rest next summer
The Premier League Season 2026/27 dates have been confirmed, with the opening match round starting on Saturday, 22 August 2026. The final match round will be played on Sunday, 30 May 2027, when all fixtures will kick off simultaneously as usual.
With an increasingly congested global football calendar, player welfare remains a priority for the Premier League. As a result, the Premier League will start one week later next season.
This will allow for 89 clear days from the end of the current season and 33 days from the FIFA World Cup 26 Final. The season will conclude one week prior to the UEFA Champions League Final, which will be played on Saturday, 5 June 2027.
The 2026/27 Season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds. The Premier League schedule will be designed to avoid domestic competition clashes with UEFA club competition dates, wherever possible. Over the Christmas and New Year period, no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours.
This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule within the expanded international calendar.