Newcastle United are going to have their resolve tested this summer when it comes to holding onto some of their top stars.
There’s still just enough time left this season to pull something out of the bag and nab European qualification, but the chances are pretty slim, especially if we’re looking at the Champions League.
If Eddie Howe manages to guide the team to a Champions League place again, it may quieten down some of the rumours around potential star exits, but if we fall short, the noise we’re having to endure right now will only get louder.
Three of Newcastle’s top players are being tracked by ‘Big Six’ sides, with Tino Livramento a target for Manchester City and Arsenal, Anthony Gordon also wanted by Arsenal and potentially Liverpool and Sandro Tonali coveted by Manchester United.
Newcastle CEO David Hopkinson admitted in a press conference on Monday that there is a possibility that Newcastle may be open to the sale of a top player in order to raise funds for a summer rebuild. However, he did insist that any sales would have to suit Newcastle, so we won’t be letting anyone go on the cheap
That has been backed up by The Telegraph‘s claims that Newcastle has set some high asking prices for the three players mentioned.
Luk Edwards’ report claims that Newcastle would demand at least £100 million each for Tonali and Gordon, while Livramento will cost at least £60 million.
Tonali cost £55m from AC Milan, while Gordon arrived in a £45m deal from Everton. Tino was the cheapest of the trio, arriving in a £32m deal (plus add-ons) from Southampton in August 2023.
Each one of those figures represents significant profit when you consider what Newcastle paid for each of them, especially as we’ve got a couple of good years out of each of them, too.
If we could raise £260 million by selling three players to go with whatever the budget is already going to be, plus the sale of Joe Willock and the money we’ll save on the budget for the wages of several players leaving on a free, then we could find ourselves making some big moves.
We’re not likely to be going out to sign a huge star, but several Bruno Guimaraes-like signings of top players loitering in foreign leagues who can be a massive success in the Premier League.
It may feel like a step backwards letting three of our top players go, but it could be just what we need.