While much attention has been focused on Newcastle United’s departure and goals, the division is quietly doing some shrewd business in the transfer market.
Four additions have already been completed at St James’ Park, with the Magpies’ recruitment team having already spent £112m to strengthen Eddie Howe’s squad.
Juwen Jaouen, Bazoumana Toure, Sean Stuer and Aladi Bamba all joined Tyneside this summer, with the average age of the new players being just 19 years and five months.
The addition of young players appears to be the target to develop and reach the next level in the Premier League, but such a strategy could spell the end for one of the senior members of Howe’s team.
Why Jacob Murphy has time up for Newcastle United
Newcastle have risen to prominence in the Premier League in recent years, with the club twice appearing in the Champions League, with winger Jacob Murphy playing a big part in their success.
The 31-year-old, who has been on the roster since 2017, has been a consistent member of the Magpies’ first-team squad since the 2020/21 season, going on to make 223 appearances in all competitions.
However, last season the Englishman showed signs that he was struggling to match the level he had achieved in recent seasons, leading to questions about his long-term future at the club.
Murphy has only scored three goals and provided two assists in England’s top flight, and his performance in pre-season has only heightened supporters’ concerns.
Most PL G+A combined by a Newcastle forward (2025/26) | |
|---|---|
player | tally |
nick waltemade | 11 |
anthony gordon | 8 |
harvey burns | 8 |
Will Osla | 7 |
jacob murphy | 5 |
Joanne warned | 2 |
Anthony Elanga | 1 |
A failed backheel in a non-league game against Gateshead angered fans and led to calls for the 31-year-old to be sold, but Howe will no doubt see him as a key experienced member of his team.
The winger wore the armband in the aforementioned encounter, which certainly highlights the manager’s faith and belief in the forward, despite concerns from the Magpies faithful.
While Murphy has undoubtedly given fans valuable time at St James’s, his career has slowed down considerably in recent times, which should lead to a potential sale this summer.
Could Newcastle replace Murphy this summer?
If Murphy is sold by Howe & Co. during this period, Newcastle will no doubt need to delve into the market to acquire additional attacking reinforcements.
Countless options have been discussed in recent months, with Toure the latest player to have already completed a move to Tyneside ahead of the 2026/27 season.
However, the Magpies appear to be continuing their youthful recruiting spree as Real Betis winger Abde Ezarzouri has once again captured their attention.
Spanish outlet AS have reported that Howe’s side are the favorites to sign the player this summer, with fellow side AS Roma monitoring his progress.
They also say the Moroccan international has a €60m (approximately £51m) release clause in his contract and is open to the idea of him moving to the Premier League during this period.
It remains to be seen how much the Magpies intend to spend over this period after their recent £112m outlay, but it is safe to say they will be signing a top talent with the move of Ezarzurri.
His recent stats in La Liga have highlighted his incredible quality in attacking areas, which could spell the end for Murphy on Tyneside.
The 24-year-old racked up a whopping 18 goals and assists in Spain’s top flight last season, before finishing the season with 13 more contributions than the current Magpies winger.
Such a record is the third highest in La Liga among players who have not played for Real Madrid or Barcelona, further underscoring his great ability to finish within the final third.
Ezarzurri’s talent with the ball also extends to chance creation, with the youngster creating an average of 0.5 big chances per 90, more than twice as many as Murphy.
The aforementioned numbers also place him in the top 15% of all attackers within Europe’s top five leagues. This could give Howe’s side some much-needed creative spark in the forward areas.
The Betis star ranked high in terms of completed dribbles and fouls (per 90), and has since proven that he is always a threat to opponents when he is in full flow.
He scored 1.6 completed dribbles and 2.8 fouls per 90, outperforming 90% of other attackers in the Spanish First Division as well as creating chances.
Spending £51m on the Moroccan star would be another big deal for Newcastle this summer, but it would mean they would be signing a player on a huge upward trajectory.
The need for a new attacking star on the right flank has been clear for months, but unfortunately Murphy is not the player he once was for the Magpies.
Ezarzurri’s move will undoubtedly end the Englishman’s time on Tyneside, but Howe will need to be ruthless to ensure the Magpies return to the Premier League next season.
