For our Newcastle United fans in the Football Transfer Tavern, they’re still getting their breath back after an incredibly tense end to last season whereby the Magpies avoided relegation on the final day after defeating West Ham United while Hull City failed to defeat Manchester United.
For the since departed John Carver, it was an absolute horror show in charge that eventually ended in jubilation but for any Toon Army fan, simply just managing to stay in the Premier League is nowhere near good enough for a club of their stature.
Fast forward to today’s date and it’s all change at St James’ Park with Steve McClaren now in charge and dare we say a little optimism going around the North East following the Magpies’ signatures of Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Chancel Mbemba.
Clearly choosing their transfer targets carefully albeit patiently, all three players boast Champions League experience and look impressive signings for a club that eventually finished in 15th place last season.
The latest of their arrivals is Mbemba who has agreed a deal from Anderlecht with the DR Congo international simply requiring a work permit to complete the formalities of his switch.
Coming up against Arsenal in the Champions League last term, Mbemba gained this valuable experience despite just being 20-years-old and Newcastle fans will hope he sticks around for a bit longer than Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa did who looked equally impressive ahead of arriving on Tyneside.
With United’s summer signings now totalling three, just who else could be following Mbemba to St James’ Park? We take a look at five players who could be following in his footsteps.
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 players to follow Chancel Mbemba to Newcastle United this summer.
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Florian Thauvin
We’ve grown used to Newcastle United’s French connection in recent seasons with the club having brought the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Remy Cabella and Emmanuel Riviere to St James’ Park and the latest talent they’re targeting from Ligue 1 is Marseille’s Florian Thauvin.
Long-term admirers of the uncapped French ace, the 22-year-old is currently under intense transfer speculation with the Newcastle Chronicle suggesting Steve McClaren will be going in with a fresh bid for the pacey winger after seeing a £12 million offer rejected.
You can look at United’s interest in Thauvin in two ways.
Marseille have already parted with prized assets such as Dimitri Payet and Andre Ayew this summer and to lose another attack-minded midfielder in Thauvin is simply out of the question for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Or perhaps the club would be willing to sell another of their top players in a cost cutting measure which has been much publicised.
After all, Marseille have had to bring in the likes of free agents Lassana Diarra and Abou Diaby this summer in a cost cutting venture and perhaps they could generate some more cash from Thauvin’s sale.
One things for sure at this stage; Newcastle United will have to do better than £12 million however.
Charlie Austin
Back at the start of June, Toon legend Alan Shearer sparked up the speculation regarding a Newcastle United swoop for Charlie Austin by suggesting on Twitter that the QPR forward should come up to St James’ Park while trying to emulate his Premier League goalscoring record.
On the face of it, a Newcastle switch for an up-and-coming Premier League star such as Austin looks like a good move on paper given he’d be playing every week and would be idolised more by an adoring fanbase.
Scoring 18 Premier League goals last term despite the R’s eventual relegation, Austin proved he can bag goals at the very highest level and the latest from the Daily Star is that current Magpie Haris Vuckic could be sent in QPR’s direction as a deal sweetener.
In terms of competition for Austin’s signature, it looks as if Tottenham are trailing after West Bromwich Albion’s Saido Berahino so right now, Newcastle United’s path looks relatively clear for Austin’s arrival.
They’ll just need to give Chris Ramsey and QPR an offer they simply can’t refuse with the player surely hell bent on remaining at the highest level in England.
Ivan Toney
Perhaps not a name to immediately excite Newcastle United fans but the most likely next arrival after Chancel Mbemba seems to be Northampton Town striker Ivan Toney.
Despite being just 19-years-old, the Cobblers’ kid has already chalked up 53 appearances for their first team while striking 11 goals at League Two level in the process.
The latest on Toney’s situation was described recently in The Express with Northampton boss Chris Wilder admitting that the striker was dropped from a pre-season friendly against Brackley amidst the Newcastle transfer speculation.
At League Two level, it’s pretty much impossible to resist the overtures of a Premier League club when they come calling so we expect this deal to be wrapped up in the coming days, if not weeks.
Will Hughes
There is no transfer speculation regarding a Newcastle United swoop for Derby County whizzkid Will Hughes right now but we’re trying to skip ahead to the period near the close of the window where many moves come out of nowhere.
Highly rated ever since making his professional debut for the Rams at the age of just 17-years-old, Steve McClaren has worked with the precocious young talent over the course of the last few seasons and there is no denying his talent.
Wise beyond his years with the ball at his feet, it has broken the mould somewhat that Hughes has remained in the Championship with Derby for so long despite his obvious talent.
While Rams fans will appreciate his loyalty of course, Hughes looks a talent who is capable of making the step up to Premier League level already and we wonder whether McClaren will be tabling a big bid Paul Clement’s way before the transfer window slams shut this summer.
Diego Rolan
While we couldn’t find an applicable image of Bordeaux striker Diego Rolan given our image license, we did manage to find this picture of the Toon Army away in the French city during their Europa League campaign of 2012.
Rolan is a Uruguayan striker who has been on the lips of Magpies fans of late with the Newcastle Chronicle suggesting that it is he who is the next target on Steve McClaren’s radar following the arrival of Chancel Mbemba.
Having struck 13 Ligue 1 goals in 67 appearances since signing for Bordeaux in 2013, despite this not being the best record in the world, Rolan is on the rise and was part of the Uruguay squad that competed in the Copa America this summer.
Considered one of the next best striking hopes in his home country following the likes of Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Rolan is expected to move onto bigger and better things and a club such as Newcastle seems a good fit.
For Rolan to be prised away from Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, the rumoured fee circulating at the moment seems to be around the £12 million mark so McClaren best be asking Mike Ashley to get his chequebook out again nicely!
