Newcastle United were a day late and a dollar short in the fight to secure a second successive season on the continent, having lost their Conference League spot after Manchester United won the FA Cup in May.
Eddie Howe’s outfit had been ravaged by injuries last season and still managed to impress in spells, finishing seventh in the Premier League and unluckily finishing bottom of their Champions League group despite impressing and facing some contentious calls.
The squad really was threadbare at some stages, but Howe and Co have moved to mitigate that issue this summer by enforcing several exciting deals, tieing up last year’s loanee Lewis Hall on a permanent transfer and signing Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer after his contract with Bournemouth expired.
There is more to come, with sales of Elliott Anderson and Yankuba Minteh placating PSR and freeing up space to make more emphatic ventures.
The signings completed thus far have addressed the issue of depth but clear upgrades are required to the first team. The wide flanks have been much discussed at St. James’ Park and United’s new sporting director Paul Mitchell might be honing on the perfect addition.
Newcastle transfer news
As per Football Insider, Newcastle have opened talks with Chelsea to discuss the transfer of Noni Madueke, who has been shortlisted on Tyneside as Howe looks to improve his right flank.
Chelsea signed the England U21 international from PSV Eindhoven in a £29m transfer in January 2023 and he rose in importance under Mauricio Pochettino last term.
Aged 22, Madueke would be a terrific signing for the Magpies – though Chelsea would undoubtedly look to make a profit, should positive movements be made over the coming days and weeks.
Noni Madueke’s Chelsea career so far
Miguel Almiron has been a stalwart for Newcastle, signing from Major League Soccer side Atlanta United for a club-record £21m fee in January 2019.
| Miguel Almiron: Premier League Stats by Season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 2023/24 | 33 | 3 | 1 |
| 2022/23 | 34 | 11 | 2 |
| 2021/22 | 30 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020/21 | 34 | 4 | 1 |
| 2019/20 | 36 | 4 | 2 |
| 2018/19 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Stats via Transfermarkt | |||
The 30-year-old has his strengths but he’s simply not prolific enough, and if Newcastle hope to enter the ascendancy once again he must be sold this summer – or at least, relegated to a second-rate position on the right wing, allowing a player like Madueke to strut their stuff.
Hailed as a “crazy talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig, Madueke arrived at Stamford Bridge in tough conditions but has indeed started to showcase his considerable talents, scoring eight goals and supplying three assists across 34 matches in all competitions last term – despite receiving only 19 starting berths.
Electric and enterprising, the £50k-per-week wide forward ranked among the top 11% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 5% for pass completion, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 4% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.
This is a marvellous representation of the rooted skills that suggest that Madueke could become one of the leading forwards in English football down the line, and Newcastle must act quickly to secure his services before his market value mushrooms.
Why Noni Madueke could thrive with Alexander Isak
Madueke might not be a superstar – yet – but he is a highly talented young winger who has all the skills needed to carve out success on Tyneside. Placed on Alexander Isak’s flank, he might just skyrocket into a position as one of Newcastle’s sharpest signings in recent years.
Isak is, without a doubt, one of the finest strikers in Europe. Last season, the Sweden international scored 25 goals from 40 appearances and was praised for his striking ability to “manipulate defenders” – as noted by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, who was drawing comparisons between Isak and Arsenal icon Thierry Henry.
Newcastle created 97 big chances in the Premier League last season, alongside Manchester City and behind only Liverpool (102). Isak is a formidable sharpshooter but he was supplemented by a cohesive and dynamic squad that fed him through ample opportunity.
Madueke would only enhance that, utilising his pace and ability to stretch backlines and creating more space for Isak to wreak havoc from.
And considering that Isak is that clinical, missing only 21 big chances in the Premier League despite scoring 21 goals, Chelsea’s fleet-footed star could indeed find himself forming the perfect partnership – especially after playing alongside Nicolas Jackson last term, who is a talented forward but missed 24 big chances in the English top flight, scoring only 14 times.
| Premier League 23/24: Top Scorers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Apps | Goals |
| 1. | Erling Haaland | 31 | 27 |
| 2. | Cole Palmer | 33 | 22 |
| 3. | Alexander Isak | 30 | 21 |
| 4. | Phil Foden | 35 | 19 |
| 4. | Ollie Watkins | 37 | 19 |
| 4. | Dominic Solanke | 38 | 19 |
| Stats via Premier League | |||
Isak is also more than just a marksman, ranking among the top 14% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and progressive carries, the top 17% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
He’s fast and he’s crisp, suggesting that he could bond fluidly with Madueke’s style. That’s without even mentioning Anthony Gordon on the alternate flank..
Described as a “mentality monster” by his former coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, Madueke has already demonstrated as such after impressing throughout a turbulent time at Chelsea, but at Newcastle, he truly could emerge as a leading figure on English shores.
There’s hope at Chelsea and a belief at Newcastle, since they are hoping to sign the winger, that Madueke has “enormous potential” – as has also been said by Kulig – and while he’s starting to find his feet in west London, Howe can offer the promise of a real chance to grow into his skin and become one of the Premier League’s finest.
