Newcastle United are wasting no time this summer in defining the next chapter at St James’ Park after a disappointing season.
The Magpies finished 12th in the Premier League and failed to secure European football, which will come as a disappointment after a record-breaking Champions League campaign that saw them reach the knockout stages of the competition for the first time in their history.
After confirmation that Eddie Howe will continue to lead Newcastle into the new campaign, no time has been wasted in preparing to reshape the squad.
Anthony Gordon signs for Barcelona in a £69m deal
The immediate exit of Anthony Gordon will come as no surprise to Newcastle fans this week, as he had rarely featured since being linked with a move away from Tyneside last month.
Both Bayern Munich and Arsenal were reported to be frontrunners for the winger’s signature; however, Barcelona swooped in earlier this week to beat both clubs to a deal.
After a short round of negotiations, Newcastle and Barcelona reached an agreement for Gordon to join the La Liga giants in a deal worth £69m.
Who will replace Anthony Gordon?
Gordon’s influence in attack was huge, but he will not be irreplaceable if Newcastle can find the right replacement to complement the likes of Nick Woltemade and Anthony Elanga.
One of Newcastle’s biggest problems this season has been getting the best out of their attacking options following the departure of Alexander Isak, and finding a solution that makes the forward line more cohesive will be absolutely essential.
According to SPORT, Newcastle have been in communication with Real Betis about signing Abde Ezzalzouli.
The publication claims that the Magpies are actively enquiring about securing the winger’s signature to avoid losing him to another club, with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa also interested.
It has been reported elsewhere that Ezzalzouli has a €60m (£52m) release clause in his contract, but a lower fee could be negotiated, as Betis may accept that they are likely to lose him this summer regardless.
Who is Abde Ezzalzouli?
The 24-year-old ace has been one of the standout players in Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis side this season and could further enhance his growing reputation when he represents Morocco at the World Cup next month.
Over 43 appearances for Real Betis this season, Ezzalzouli has scored 15 goals and registered 13 assists, averaging a goal contribution every 113 minutes.
He was the seventh-highest goal contributor in La Liga last season and ranked fourth for fouls won, boasting strengths in aerial duels, key passes and defensive contributions alongside his attacking output.
Pellegrini recently spoke about Ezzalzouli’s importance to Betis ahead of their return to the Champions League and the speculation surrounding his future:
“As for Abde or any other player, if a significant and very high offer comes in… He’s an important player, and based on that, we’ll have to bring in more important players to compete regularly in the Champions League and La Liga.”
Would Abde Ezzalzouli Be A Good Signing For Newcastle?
Increasing goal contributions and building a forward line for the future will be major priorities for Newcastle this summer.
With only domestic football to focus on, Eddie Howe will be aware of both the expectations surrounding the club and the opportunity to improve their league position without the distraction and fixture congestion of European competition.
In the short term, there is a real opportunity to spend the next 12 months building a squad that can consistently compete at a higher level, adding quality depth and developing a reliable starting XI capable of delivering more consistent performances.
In the long term, Newcastle must find the right balance to ensure they can compete across multiple competitions every season without falling short or sacrificing one competition to prioritise another due to a lack of squad depth.
Ezzalzouli offers the Magpies a talented option to replace Gordon on the left flank, and if he can replicate his output from Betis on Tyneside, it would be warmly welcomed after a frustrating 12 months.
Not only that, if the Moroccan winger can help tie the forward line together by creating opportunities and developing strong partnerships with Elanga and Woltemade, it could lay the foundations for the long-term future of Newcastle’s attack.
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