Newcastle United's Summer of Change Ahead of New Premier League Season

Newcastle United's Summer of Change Ahead of New Premier League Season

Newcastle United go into the new Premier League campaign in the middle of one of the most significant squad rebuilds of the Eddie Howe era. Having already parted ways with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, the club agreed a major outgoing deal this summer, selling midfielder Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur for a club-record fee in the region of £100m.

The turnover at St James' Park does not stop there. Captain Bruno Guimaraes has told the club he would like to leave, with reigning Premier League champions Arsenal reported to be keen admirers of the Brazilian midfielder. His potential departure would represent another blow for a squad that has lost several of its most influential performers in a short space of time, and reaction among supporters has been mixed, with many expressing concern over the direction of the club even as others accept the financial realities driving the decisions.

Much of the upheaval is being shaped by the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules, which have pushed Newcastle to balance the books through player sales even as they continue to invest in the squad. On the incoming side, the club has moved to bring in younger talent, completing a deal for Ajax teenager Steur and adding winger Toure in a reported £42m transfer, both seen as building blocks for the next phase of Howe's project.

With the new season approaching, Newcastle will be looking to show that the summer's business, departures and arrivals alike, can still leave them competitive. The opening weeks of the Premier League calendar are already generating plenty of attention elsewhere, with Arsenal's clash against Chelsea and the Manchester derby among the standout fixtures selected for live coverage, meaning Howe's reshaped squad will have little time to settle before facing the level of competition the Premier League demands.