Tonali out but Bruno to stay? Inside Newcastle's transfer plans
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- Sandro Tonali is leaving Newcastle for Tottenham in a £100m deal, with funds from his and Anthony Gordon's sales earmarked for what Newcastle hope is a transformative summer of 6-8 new signings — the biggest window under Eddie Howe since his first January in charge.
- Bruno Guimaraes is effectively off-limits — Newcastle do not want to sell their captain, and while Arsenal explored a deal through intermediaries with an informal offer, it failed to meet Newcastle's demands; unlike Tonali, the Brazilian is seen as open to staying and fighting.
- Ross Wilson, in his first summer as sporting director, will oversee recruitment of young, hungry players from Europe in a £20-40m price range, a sharp pivot from last summer's £60-80m bracket after Newcastle dropped out of Europe.
- Newcastle are targeting a goalkeeper (James Trafford high on the list after missing out last summer to Manchester City), a right-back to replace Kieran Trippier, a left-back, a left-winger (Toure), and a striker after £120m+ spent on Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade failed to deliver.
- Newcastle settled a UEFA Squad Cost Ratio breach with a ~£5m fine and remain bound by the stricter 70%-of-revenue cap despite not being in European competition, a constraint Howe has openly criticised and one that shapes the club's lower-budget approach this window.
- Eddie Howe retains the full backing of the board after ending Newcastle's 70-year trophy drought and delivering two Champions League campaigns, with Sky Sports reporting he is focused on starting a new journey with a fresh squad.
Why it matters: Newcastle are resetting to a £20-40m recruitment model under UEFA's tighter 70% revenue cap after settling a SCR breach. The £100m Tonali windfall funds 6-8 signings, but Bruno Guimaraes staying matters more than any incoming deal — losing him would signal the project cannot hold its best players.
