Newcastle United’s season has been plagued by mediocrity, and even the best run of form in the final Premier League games might not be enough to secure European football next season.
The defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League showed that, despite heavy investment and last year’s League Cup win, they are not ready to match the continent’s elite just yet.
While Eddie Howe will more than likely dust his side down and go again in what has been a transitional period for the club in a campaign cursed by injuries, it looks as if Sandro Tonali will ply his trade away from St James’ Park next term.
Arsenal were linked with Tonali, but Newcastle managed to tie him down to a new deal. However, this is often a move designed to protect a player’s transfer value.
Speaking to Freebets.com, home of the latest free bet deals, one Newcastle fan said: “He would be a big loss, especially given how much potential he has, but there are always players that come and go.
“I do think if you lost him and Bruno Guimaraes in the same window, you’d be in serious trouble, but the money could help us rebuild. We are still ahead of schedule in the project anyway.”
Newcastle have deep pockets, and while selling Tonali will help their financial situation for the summer transfer window, it leaves them with a massive void in midfield.
The question isn’t whether they can afford a replacement. It’s whether they can find one who brings the same combination of technical quality and experience that made Tonali such a key piece of Howe’s system. Here are some of the most suitable candidates if Tonali leaves.
Elliot Anderson – Nottingham Forest
A return to Tyneside would be one of the summer’s most compelling storylines, especially if Forest suffer relegation and Anderson shines at the World Cup.
Newcastle’s decision not to include a release clause in his sale now looks remarkably short-sighted, as his value has risen sharply since leaving for the City Ground.
The 23-year-old offers exactly what Howe’s system demands, but it felt as if he was shipped off to make room for bigger names.
He fits the club’s long-term homegrown strategy perfectly and would arrive with Premier League experience and a serious point to prove after being allowed to leave.
The risk is whether Anderson can replace Tonali’s tempo-setting qualities and positional discipline in the deeper midfield areas.
His natural game is more progressive and attack-minded, which could leave Newcastle vulnerable in transition if Bruno pushes forward.
If Forest go down and Newcastle move quickly, this could be the kind of shrewd business that makes the Tonali departure sting less.
Khephren Thuram – Juventus
Khephren Thuram represents the closest thing to a statement signing on this list. The Juventus midfielder would bring size, power, and the ability to sit in front of the defence while still carrying the ball through midfield with genuine authority.
The 25-year-old is entering his prime and has the kind of physical profile that would immediately meet the Premier League’s demands.
His combination of defensive solidity and range of passing makes him one of the few players who could genuinely replicate what Tonali brings to Newcastle’s system.
If Juventus miss out on Champions League football, Newcastle could feel this one is there for the taking. The financial gap between the two clubs isn’t what it once was, and Thuram might view St James’ Park as a better platform for regular football and development than fighting for minutes in Turin.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – Marseille
Højbjerg is the most pragmatic option on this list, and possibly the easiest to trust if Newcastle want immediate stability.
The Danish international has Premier League experience and the kind of professionalism that would suit a dressing room trying to reset after a disappointing campaign.
He wasn’t the right stylistic fit for Bayern Munich under Pep Guardiola, or Ange Postecoglou’s high-tempo system at Tottenham Hotspur, but that doesn’t mean he was a poor midfielder.
Højbjerg was useful in a more controlled, game-management role, and Postecoglou even praised his ability to break up play and start attacks.
He’s not the flashy answer that gets supporters excited on social media, but he can help manage games and support younger midfielders while they develop.
If the club are worried about losing too much control in one transfer window, this is the kind of signing that steadies the ship without breaking the budget.
Joao Gomes – Wolverhampton Wanderers
Joao Gomes joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2023 and now has over 100 top-flight appearances under his belt heading into the summer.
He was unlucky to miss Wolves’ peak years, arriving just after the departures of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.
He’s spent his time fighting relegation battles rather than competing for European places.
With Wolves heading to the Championship, he becomes a realistic target if Newcastle move early and decisively to create a Brazilian trio of Gomes, Bruno and Joelinton.
Newcastle must get transfers right this summer
Replacing Tonali won’t be straightforward, and Newcastle can’t afford to get this decision wrong.
The club has ambitions of returning to the Champions League and challenging for trophies, which means the midfield rebuild needs to be handled with precision rather than panic.
Each option has merit depending on what Howe now sees as his priority in the next phase of building. Where it’s youth and potential, proven class, pragmatism, or box-to-box quality, the answer will define Newcastle’s next chapter.
