The Magpies still have plenty of work to do in the summer transfer window
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe (left) and sporting director Ross Wilson (right)
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe (left) and sporting director Ross Wilson (right)
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Newcastle United have already been very busy in the summer transfer window but they still have a ton of work to do between now and the window slamming shut on September 1.
United announced back in May that Kieran Trippier, Emil Krafth, John Ruddy, Aaron Ramsdale, Matt Targett and Max Thompson would leave the club on free transfers this summer.
Since then, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have brought in a combined £169million after they were sold to Barcelona and Tottenham respectively.
The Magpies have been busy in terms of incomings, too, with goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen arriving from Stade Reims, winger Bazoumana Toure joining from Hoffenheim and teenage midfielder Sean Steur joining the club from Ajax.
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But Newcastle still have positions to fill in the squad and there could well be some further departures from the first team squad this summer.
With that in mind, Chronicle Live has taken a look at the five priorities still on the transfer to do list for Newcastle's sporting director Ross Wilson to address this summer.
Resolve Bruno Guimaraes' situation
The undoubted biggest priority facing Newcastle this summer is resolving Bruno Guimaraes' future.
The Newcastle captain is their most influential player and had been earmarked to lead the new era after this summer's rebuild. Despite planning for the sales of Tonali and Gordon, Guimaraes has never been considered as a possibility to leave the club.
The club's stance remains he is not for sale, despite transfer interest from Arsenal and the 28-year-old communicating his desire to explore a move to the Premier League champions.
But the fact remains Arsenal are yet to make club to club contact with Newcastle over a move and until they do then there isn't a question to answer.
Nonetheless, United cannot allow a transfer saga to take hold and need clarity on his future either way. If he is staying, he leads the reset. If he is leaving, Newcastle need to extract a fee that represents his market value and allows them enough time to replace him.
Bruno Guimaraes
Bruno Guimaraes (Image: (Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images))
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Ramsdale, Ruddy and Thompson have all left the club this month and while hopes are high about Jaouen's future on Tyneside, he is expected to start the season as a number two given his first team experience so far has exclusively came in the second tier of French football.
Nick Pope had been expected to leave after an error-strewn fourth season at the club and has interest from Premier League clubs. But any sale won't be considered until if and when Newcastle have sourced a replacement in the transfer market.
James Trafford remains the dream signing but will not only prove to be an expensive signing but he also wants to wait until after the World Cup is over to resolve his future.
Pope will remain in situ until there is a resolution, with Aidan Harris and Mark Gillespie set to make up the rest of the goalkeeping unit unless the Magpies also look for an experienced third choice goalkeeper in the mould of Ruddy and Loris Karius before him.
Graeme Jones, Mark Gillespie and Nick Pope
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It was a huge blow for Newcastle when they lost out on a deal to sign Switzerland's World Cup hero Johan Manzambi. A deal had been agreed with Freiburg to bring the 20-year-old to St James' Park but he is set to join Aston Villa instead.
Nonetheless, Newcastle have a list of attacking midfield alternatives they are targeting instead of him and continue to work on those in the background. An exciting signing in that position will do a lot to appease fears and frustration of publicly missing out on one of the top young stars in European football.
Johan Manzambi of Switzerland
Johan Manzambi of Switzerland
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As things stand, Newcastle have no senior full-back alternatives for Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, with Leo Shahar and Alex Murphy deemed as the current back-up options.
Neither player has a whole host of experience at first team level and ideally two full-backs, or a full-back who can play on both sides, remains one of the big holes in the squad the Magpies must fill this summer.
Lewis Hall (L) and Jacob Murphy (C) jostle for the ball during the second day of pre season training at The Knox
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Pope and Guimaraes are not the only players who could leave the club this summer. Should a Manzambi replacement be sourced, Joe Willock seems like a prime candidate to leave the club amid interest from other Premier League clubs.
Jacob Murphy has interest from Everton and should a bid arrive, a decision would have to be made on the 31-year-old winger who is now in the final year of his contract on Tyneside.
Alex Murphy could seek regular football this summer, whether that is via a loan move or a permanent exit, and striker Sean Neave is ready to test the water elsewhere on loan.