The sublime Newcastle XI for 2025-26 with four quality signings if Champions League spot secured

Newcastle United are hoping for a summer transfer window where they can truly flex their muscles as they close in on a return to Champions League football.

With the richest owners in world football, Newcastle have money to burn. But they’ve taken a patient approach under their Saudi owners to build up to where they are today. Besides, the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules have limited their freedom.

But hopes are high that this could be the year for Newcastle to go on a big spree, while also being able to keep their top talent.

And as Eddie Howe guides them towards Champions League qualification, Newcastle could become a serious force to be reckoned with next season if they end up with a lineup like this…

GK – James Trafford

The first of four big signings in this Newcastle XI, Trafford has had an outstanding season in the Championship with Burnley.

Conceding just 16 goals from 45 appearances, Trafford has helped Burnley to have the best defensive record in the second tier on their way to automatic promotion.

To put into perspective how incredible that record is, the other goalkeeper in the division to concede 16 goals did so from just 10 appearances.

After taking a look at Trafford last summer, Newcastle can’t have been anything other than impressed while still tracking the 22-year-old this summer.

Thus, history could repeat itself this year with Newcastle signing a keeper from Burnley. They did so in 2022 to get Nick Pope, but it might be time to find his successor.

Trafford remains a strong candidate to take over from Pope at St. James’ Park as he prepares for a well-earned Premier League return.

Sources told TEAMtalk in February that Burnley wouldn’t be budging from their minimum £20m asking price, but Newcastle are known to be the most interested club for his signature.

RB – Tino Livramento

Some alarm bells began to sound when Fabrizio Romano revealed that Livramento is on Manchester City’s shortlist for the right-back position before the Club World Cup.

But the Newcastle man is under contract at St. James’ Park until 2028 after signing from Southampton in 2023.

There are doubts over the long-term future of Kieran Trippier, who Livramento has become the first-choice right-back over (at least, before he had to fill in at left-back recently).

Understandably, Newcastle have no plans to sell the 22-year-old and will be relying on him as a key player in their long-term future.

CB – Marc Guehi

A big player to keep an eye on this summer will be Crystal Palace captain Guehi. Spurs made a late push to sign him in January, but Palace held firm and kept him at Selhurst Park.

Guehi is about to enter the final year of his contract, though, and it would be shocking if the England international isn’t in demand again in the summer.

TEAMtalk has recently revealed that Newcastle are leading the race for Guehi over his former club Chelsea. A deal could cost in the region of £46m.

Centre-back is an area Newcastle want to reinforce, having also taken a look at Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen.

Huijsen also has interest from Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea, though, so Newcastle might be more confident of getting Guehi in.

Guehi turns 25 in July, so whoever he joins next should get to enjoy his prime years.

CB – Sven Botman

Botman was one of the biggest signings Newcastle made in their first summer window after the Saudi-backed takeover, costing £35m to recruit from Lille in July 2022.

He enjoyed a busy debut season in the Premier League, but his next two have been affected by some serious injury issues.

Still, when fit, he is Newcastle’s most valuable defender. Every ambitious team needs a reliable left-footed centre-back, which he is.

His absences over recent seasons are one of the reasons Newcastle want more bodies at the back, but if he can avoid any serious injuries in the future, Botman has every chance of starting in a new centre-back partnership next season.

LB – Lewis Hall

Newcastle signed Hall in the summer of 2023 from Chelsea on a loan that became permanent the following year.

He has enjoyed a positive second season at St. James’ Park, including making his England debut in November.

There have been whispers of interest from elsewhere, but Newcastle are Hall’s club and always have been because of his family.

Still only 20 years old, Hall has established himself as Newcastle’s preferred left-back and, while details of his contract length have been kept under wraps, he should be at their disposal for the long term.

CM – Bruno Guimaraes

Along with a certain striker, Guimaraes is one of the two most-coveted players in the Newcastle squad.

The Brazil midfielder regularly gets mentioned as a player admired by other top clubs, but Newcastle have put up barriers to any exit.

And that doesn’t seem to bother Guimaraes one bit, with his comments after the Carabao Cup final win painting a clear picture of how happy he is on Tyneside.

He described Newcastle as his ‘second home’ and said that after he leaves the club, he wants the fans to still sing for him like they do for Alan Shearer.

That departure still seems to be far in the distance, with his contract lasting until 2028 and the £100m release clause that used to be in it having long since expired.

CM – Sandro Tonali

Some rumours have also started to crop up about Guimaraes’ midfield partner Tonali, which Newcastle will be laughing off.

Most of the Italy international’s debut season after signing from AC Milan in 2023 was spent on the sidelines while he observed a ban. But this season, Newcastle have got to see the best of him.

At the time of writing, he has completed all 90 minutes of Newcastle’s past nine Premier League matches, proving he is an indispensable part of Howe’s preferred lineup.

The 25-year-old still has a contract until 2028. In February, he insisted he had no regrets about joining Newcastle despite being a Milan supporter since childhood.

AM – Eberechi Eze

Newcastle could make it a double raid on Palace by not just signing Guehi, but also Eze.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Newcastle are keen on Eze and admire his creativity – so much so that they wouldn’t be put off by his £68m price tag.

There is competition for Eze’s signature, but securing Champions League football wouldn’t harm Newcastle’s chances of winning the race.

Eze has mainly played in a central attacking midfield role this season, which means he could take the place of Joelinton in Newcastle’s strongest XI.

Converting the one-time striker flop into an all-action midfielder was one of the best things Howe has done during his time at Newcastle, and he is committed to the club until 2028, but tactically he seems the likeliest candidate to drop out for Eze.

RW – Bryan Mbeumo

Another target Newcastle are understood to be leading the race for is Brentford forward Mbeumo.

This has been a standout season for the Cameroon winger, who finds himself joint-fifth on the Premier League top scorers chart.

Competition will be fierce for the 25-year-old, who looks ready for the next step in his career after six seasons with Brentford and as the final 12 months of his contract approach (although his current employers have a year’s option).

TEAMtalk recently learned that Newcastle are stepping up their pursuit of Mbeumo, whose versatility (he can play as a centre-forward as well) appeals to Howe.

Newcastle made an approach for Mbeumo in January and they are persisting with their interest.

Brentford will be asking for a fee in the region of £60m to sell Mbeumo, but Newcastle see him as a low-risk, high-reward target.

CF – Alexander Isak

Want him? Can’t have him.

That’s the message Newcastle will be sending to suitors for their highly-rated striker Isak, who scored their second goal in their 2-1 win over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

Isak has admirers at Arsenal and Liverpool – to name but two – but Newcastle argue they have no reason to sell the Swedish superstar.

Newcastle broke their transfer record to sign Isak from Real Sociedad in 2022 and would demand a club-record sale if anyone tried to take him away.

But Isak is practically priceless in Newcastle’s eyes, especially with a contract until 2028, and Champions League qualification would only enhance their negotiating position.

The 25-year-old has scored more than 60 goals for Newcastle and is second only to Mohamed Salah in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.

He should be among the top contenders for the accolade next season as well, and while Newcastle might have a change to make in their centre-forward department if Callum Wilson leaves, it would take someone otherworldly to usurp Isak in the pecking order.

LW – Anthony Gordon

Gordon signed a new long-term contract with Newcastle back in October, which came after he was targeted by Liverpool in the summer.

A return to Merseyside might have been tempting for the former Everton winger, who is a Liverpool fan, but he seems just as happy to be on Tyneside.

“Me and the gaffer are a perfect match in terms of style of play. I love it here,” Gordon said after signing his contract.

“I’m very happy here, I like living here, the team is very suited to me – and I’m here to win a trophy.”

Five months later, he lived up to his word.

Gordon will continue to be a key player in Newcastle’s future, having established himself as their main left winger.

READ NEXT: Top 10 most expensive Newcastle United sales of all time