Newcastle United’s summer transfer window hasn’t gone to plan so far, but they could now be on the verge of securing another deal.
The Magpies are currently in Singapore on tour, preparing for their Premier League and Champions League campaigns.
But back home on Tyneside, a concerning situation is unfolding.
Star striker Alexander Isak has expressed a desire to explore his options ahead of the new season, with Liverpool reportedly ready to table a bid in the coming days.
Following the departure of Callum Wilson, the North East giants are left with only Isak and William Osula as their centre-forward options.
After missing out on Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, and Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle have turned their attention to RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko as a potential replacement, should the club allow Isak to leave.
Elsewhere, Newcastle also missed out on long-term target James Trafford, who re-joined Manchester City after they activated their buy-back clause for the Burnley shot-stopper.
Trafford was seen as the natural successor to Nick Pope; however, much like their striker situation, the club now finds itself in a position where squad depth is just as critical as development opportunities.
According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle have scheduled a fresh round of talks to sign Aaron Ramsdale.
Writing on social media platform X, Romano revealed:
“Newcastle have scheduled new round of talks to try get Aaron Ramsdale deal done with Southampton.”
“Agreement close, heavy loan fee with buy option clause also included.”
Should Newcastle sign Aaron Ramsdale?
It’s no secret that Ramsdale has struggled since being replaced by David Raya at Arsenal and moving on to relegation-battling sides.
Southampton’s relegation to the Championship last season marked the third time Ramsdale has been involved in a drop to the second tier – previously with Sheffield United and Bournemouth.
While that’s hardly an inspiring statistic from a Newcastle perspective, the 27-year-old does bring a wealth of Premier League experience with him.
Ramsdale – once hailed as “exceptional” by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta – has tallied up 183 Premier League appearances and kept 41 clean sheets, which equates to around one in every four matches.
It would be unfair to judge Ramsdale solely on his recent record, as he has been playing in teams that have struggled defensively and have often been outplayed in the competitive top flight.
While he may not represent an exciting long-term solution, Eddie Howe has a reputation for improving players – Joelinton being a prime example of what’s possible under his guidance.
The reality is, at this point, Newcastle are running out of options.
Ramsdale may not be the most popular choice among fans, but his sound understanding and experience of Premier League football could make him a reliable option behind Pope at St James’ Park next season.
