Newcastle United’s squad has come leaps and bounds in the last few years thanks to the PIF’s investment and good recruitment.
Under the new ownership, the Magpies have seen players join for fees completely unimaginable under Mike Ashley.
The likes of Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak have moved to Tyneside in the last three years for lucrative transfer fees, with the latter breaking the club record after making a £63m move.
While the new arrivals have performed well, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has also done an exceptional job developing players who were already at the club.
Joelinton is a completely different player under Howe in comparison to how he played under previous head coach Steve Bruce. The Brazilian has moved into the midfield since Howe’s arrival and has since gone on to become one of the most feared players in the Premier League.
While several Newcastle players can be praised for their development in recent years, Peter Crouch has singled out one player whom he holds in the same regard as Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
Peter Crouch praises Alexander Isak at Newcastle United
After a brilliant 2023/24 campaign, Isak has taken a step up in quality, scoring 26 goals in all competitions this season.
The Swede’s most important goal may well be his strike in the Carabao Cup final to help Newcastle win their first domestic trophy for 70 years, but his Premier League performances cannot be overlooked.
Isak’s 22 league goals this season mean he has a new personal best for attacking returns in the top flight. His partnership with Jacob Murphy has also been admirable.
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Newcastle do not want to sell Isak this summer and would require a gargantuan transfer fee to even consider letting him leave. However, Crouch has claimed Isak’s influence on the team makes it even more difficult for Newcastle to sell him.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents about Isak, Crouch said: “Some player though, I absolutely love him,” he said.
“I’m putting him in the same bracket as Van Dijk’s impact and Alisson’s at Liverpool. When I watch him play, I just think he’s special.”
Alexander Isak’s strike partner set to leave Newcastle United
This summer, Paul Mitchell is set to be let off the leash to bring top-quality stars to Tyneside. The Magpies have not brought any noteworthy first-team players to the club for the last three transfer windows, but that streak is expected to be broken in the upcoming transfer window.
However, there are expected to be several departures to free up space in Newcastle’s first-team squad.
Callum Wilson is out of contract this summer, and as it stands, there has been no news on a renewal for him. At 33, Wilson has struggled in front of goal this season, failing to score in any of his Premier League appearances.
Howe wants a new striker this summer, with several names already linked with moves to Tyneside this summer.
Newcastle want Liam Delap, but there are concerns over whether he would be happy to play second-string to Isak, given how well he has performed for Ipswich Town this season.
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