Newcastle must mount Premier League title challenge after transfer nightmare - Finance expert
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.
Credit: Manh Tung - Breaking Media / Imago
Ben Palmer
Thu 28 August 2025 19:00, UK
Newcastle need to be aiming for a Premier League title if they are to have any hope of keeping their best players long-term.
That is the view of football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the Magpies’ failures to get several deals were down to a failure to get players to buy into the long-term vision for the club.
Newcastle missed out on signing Joao Pedro, James Trafford, Hugo Ekitike, and at least six other transfer targets this summer.
Players like Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko opted to join Man United, despite the 20-time champions of England being unable to offer Champions League football.
Newcastle have made a recovery of sorts by signing Malick Thiaw from AC Milan, but they are still struggling to get deals over the line for Yoane Wissa and Jorgen Strand Larsen.
And that is all before the issue of Alexander Isak’s desire to join Liverpool is confronted.
Newcastle have seen considerable turnover at a boardroom level in recent years, and they have still not hired a new sporting director or CEO.
(Credit Imago)
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley explained that Newcastle needed to convince both incoming players and current stars to “buy into” their project, but the finance expert questioned what the “long-term strategy” was for the North Eastern side.
He said: “How do they attract those players and keep those players to buy into that project?
What’s the long-term strategy?
Credit: Manh Tung – Breaking Media
“It’s got to be Champions League football.
It’s got to be having a pop at the Premier League title.
It’s got to progress now because they’re in that market where they’ve got to buy those sort of players.
“That’s going to be the long-term play on the club, and that’s going to be interesting to see how it looks in, you know, in a few years time.”
Uncertainty surrounds Eddie Howe’s side and following Anthony Gordon’s red card against Liverpool, the former Bournemouth manager has even fewer options to play at number nine.
William Osula came off the bench to score in the 3-2 loss to the Reds, but struggled to get involved in the build-up play for his side.
Credit: Imago
As such, Newcastle will be looking to sign two new strikers before the transfer deadline on 1 September, Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider exclusively.
The Magpies were already aiming to bolster their frontline this summer after Callum Wilson’s departure, and Isak’s desire to leave has exacerbated the issue.