Newcastle United’s transfer strategy has been near flawless ever since the PIF takeover in 2021.
The plan at St James’ Park is for Newcastle United to be ‘best in class’ in every department, and there has been huge progress made over the past four years.
In terms of recruitment, Newcastle have been shackled by PSR, but the signings that have been brought in have been excellent.
The likes of Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes were all brought to Tyneside under PIF, and Paul Mitchell is ready to back Eddie Howe with more signings this summer.
However, there are some targets who have slipped through Newcastle’s fingers, and one lit up the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
Newcastle target Desire Doue enjoys ‘magical’ Champions League night
Newcastle’s interest in Desire Doue dates back to 2023 when the Magpies were prepared to go head-to-head with Barcelona for the French teenager.
That interest continued into 2024 when Newcastle were planning a move for Doue. However, there wasn’t a big enough budget for Newcastle to justify a move.
Instead, Doue joined PSG last summer in a £43million deal, and he has made a promising start with the French giants.
On Wednesday evening, PSG recorded a 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the Champions League and Deou scored the equaliser for the hosts just minutes before half-time.
As described by BBC Sport, there was some “magical skill from PSG’s Desire Doue” as he lit up the Parc des Princes.
Desire Doue would have been perfect for Newcastle United
Reports claim Newcastle want to sign a striker and winger this summer to strengthen Howe’s squad, and Doue could have ticked both boxes in one swift swoop.
Doue started on the right wing for PSG on Wednesday and put in a wonderful display, and PIF may live to regret not pushing to sign him when he was available.
From the 3-1 victory, Doue’s match stats prove he is a truly generational talent.
| Minutes played | 72 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Shots attempted | 6 |
| Touches | 71 |
| Passes completed | 89% (40/45) |
| Key passes | 3 |
| Dribbles completed | 50% (2/4) |
| Duels won | 62% (8/13) |
READ MORE: Newcastle United ready to battle Barcelona for 24-goal striker nominated for Puskas Award
Newcastle may have missed out on Doue, but PIF still have several attacking targets on their radar for the summer.
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