Newcastle United appear to have already identified their first signing of the summer after it emerged that one club in Europe are already braced for a Magpies bid for their star man.
Magpies money problems could force sales
There is plenty of speculation surrounding Newcastle United’s financial position heading into the summer transfer window, amid pressure to conform with the Premier League’s financial fair play and avoid points deductions like those already handed out to Nottingham Forest and Everton.
Eddie Howe’s side spent heavily last summer but have gone backwards on the pitch, with injuries stunting growth on Tyneside. As it stands, they sit 10th in the Premier League and are out of every other competition. An outside shot for European football next season, it may be a summer rebuild needed rather than another one of lavish spending.
That is unless they decide to cash in on one of their stars. It is something that Newcastle CEO Darren Eales has already hinted at, and could be an excellent way of continuing their growth as a football club, as unpopular as it may be with some fans.
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It would be a tough decision for the club.
“Any decision we make will always be against the backdrop of the medium to long-term benefit for the club. It’s difficult to say specifically on certain players, but I can say that, if we’re going to get to where we want to get to, at times it is necessary to trade your players”, Eales explained in January.
“It’s just the nature of the beast. If you trade players on it creates more headroom. You have to keep growing that headroom, increasing commercial revenue and player trading.”
European club ‘expecting’ Newcastle bid
This comes as German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt are now ‘expecting’ a bid from Tyneside for star striker Omar Marmoush this summer. That is according to Sport Bild, who add that the Bundesliga outfit ‘won’t stand in his way’ if the Egyptian striker decides that he wants to move.
Marmoush has been a revelation so far this season, with 12 goals and 3 assists in 23 Bundesliga outings since joining from Wolfsburg on a free transfer last summer.
He has been linked with a move to Newcastle previously, but it is added that any move would likely cost between 50 and 60m euros (£42m- £51m) this summer, something that Eddie Howe’s side are unlikely to be able to afford without sales and would prove an expensive replacement for Callum Wilson.
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Callum Wilson 23/34 vs Omar Marmoush 23/24 |
||
|
Callum Wilson |
Omar Marmoush |
|
|
Appearances |
16 |
21 |
|
Goals |
7 |
10 |
|
Expected goals |
7.2 |
7.7 |
|
Assists |
1 |
6 |
|
Shots on target (per 90) |
1.57 |
2.79 |
|
Aerial duels won |
33.3% |
51.2% |
Though he has only burst onto the scene this season, his qualities have been known for a long time. Speaking when he arrived in 2021, Stuttgart’s then-Sporting director Sven Mislintat explained: “Omar is a fantastic fit for us. His qualites and versatility make him a great addition to our squad.”
Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoller reserved particular praise for his work rate and physical traits: “He works extremely hard and is hard to defend against. His pace makes him an awkward opponent for defenders when he runs in behind them.”
That will come as music to the ears of Newcastle fans, but the move may only be possible if they part with one of their crown jewels this summer.
