Newcastle United enter the off-season this summer in a very different place to 2021 when Steve Bruce let eight senior players leave, but how did they each go on to fare this term?
The previous Premier League season saw the Magpies linger at the wrong end of the table for much of the campaign. Bruce could only oversee 12 wins in the club’s 38 games, while taking all three points in just seven of the Toon’s 25 matches that followed Christmas day.
Results remained out of Bruce’s reach this season, as well, ultimately costing the 61-year-old his job in October. Newcastle sacked the Corbridge-coach before hiring Eddie Howe in the following month, after the £305m takeover led by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Bruce left St James’ Park with the Tyneside natives 19th in the Premier League table, with just three points from eight winless games. Yet United ended the season in 11th-place on 49 points following 13 wins and four draws from 26 games across Howe’s run at the helm.
Now, Newcastle can look to finish in the top-half of the top-flight table, at least, next term. The Toon last claimed a top-10 result with 10th under Rafa Benitez in 2017/18 and 10th in 2013/14 under Alan Pardew, who had previously led the Magpies to fifth-place in 2011/12.
But while the future is looking brighter at St James’ under Howe, the 2021/22 season was not a perfect affair for all of those Newcastle sold, loaned and released under Bruce last year…
Yoshinori Muto finds form back in Japan after Newcastle release
Newcastle paid Mainz £9.5m to sign Yoshinori Muto in 2018, but never saw the Japan star live up to his price tag. The striker only managed 28 appearances with the Magpies for just two goals across all competitions, before Bruce released the 29-cap international last year.
Vissel Kobe would give Muto a return to Japan later in the summer after spending six years in Europe. The move has so far proven productive for the 29-year-old, as well, with Muto hitting eight goals and eight assists over 24 games in all competitions for the J League side.
Muto proved an instant hit at Vissel Kobe and scored five times and created another eight over 14 games in 2021. Yet the 2022 campaign has proven less productive so far, with two league goals, one strike in the AFC Champions League and no assists across his 10 outings.
Christian Atsu proving a flop in Saudi Arabia after St James’ departure
Newcastle allowed Christian Atsu to leave Tyneside at the end of his contract last summer after Bruce froze the forward out. The Ghanaian then made the surprise decision to move to Saudi Arabia at 29, putting pen to paper on a two-year contract at Pro League side Al Raed.
But the 60-cap winger’s decision to move to the Middle East has not worked out with Atsu struggling for minutes. He has featured in just eight games for the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium natives, started just four, is yet to score and has only provided a single assist yet.
Florian Lejeune secured permanent Alaves switch following loan spell
Florian Lejeune secured a permanent transfer to Deportivo Alaves in July, following a loan spell during the 2020/21 campaign. The Frenchman instantly established himself as a key player at the Mendizorrotza Stadium during his temporary spell, and retained his position.
The defender enjoyed 34 La Liga appearances in 2020/21 and made another 30 this term – starting all 64. Lejeune only made 42 Premier League appearances across his three seasons with Newcastle, following his £9m transfer from Eibar on a five-year contract in July 2017.
Andy Carroll set for West Brom release a year on from Newcastle exit
Andy Carroll is set to be released for the second time inside a year as Bruce confirmed to BBC Sport that West Brom will not keep the former Newcastle striker. Bruce let the 33-year-old leave at the end of his Toon contract last June, before he joined Reading on a short-term deal in November.
Bruce had re-signed Carroll after West Ham released the nine-cap England international in 2019. But he only managed one goal across 43 appearances, of which he only started 13. A move to the Championship then saw Carroll score twice across eight games with Reading.
The Royals had hoped to retain Carroll past his short-term contract, but he snubbed their offer to join West Brom. Yet the Gateshead-born target man only managed three goals in 15 second-tier games – starting just 11 – with 14 games following the Baggies hiring Bruce.
Henri Saivet yet to secure return to football since Bruce axe
Henri Saivet joined Newcastle back in 2016 from Bordeaux in a £5m transfer under Steve McClaren. But the Senegal midfielder proved to be a disaster at St James’, only featuring in eight games for 450 minutes. He actually played for the U23s more often on 708 minutes.
The 31-year-old’s final Toon appearance came three years before his release with a shock start at Chelsea in the FA Cup in January 2018. He then sealed loan moves to Sivasspor and Bursaspor later that year. But after two years without any games, he is still without a club.
Jake Turner set for Newcastle axe under Howe after loan struggles
Jake Turner has spent the past three years on the books at Newcastle, but will leave when his contract expires on June 30. The 23-year-old joined the Magpies from Bolton, but never managed a single senior appearance with either his boyhood side Wanderers or the Toon.
Bruce sent the goalkeeper out on loan to Colchester United to try and aid his development in League Two. But after nine fourth-tier appearances – 14 across all competitions – Turner returned to St James’ in January and failed to impress Howe enough to merit a new deal.
Matty Longstaff set for League Two play-off final with Mansfield Town
Matty Longstaff had a bright start to his Newcastle career when the Toon product scored on his senior debut against Manchester United in October 2019. The Rotherham-born ace then hit the back of the net at Old Trafford in December ‘19. But his stock has plummeted.
After playing 15 first-team games during the 2019/20 campaign, Longstaff has only played five with United since. His situation saw Bruce send Longstaff out on loan to Scotland with Aberdeen last August. Yet he returned this January having only played five matches there.
Howe did not see Longstaff entering his plans after struggling in the Premiership so sent the England U20 international to League Two with Mansfield Town. There, the midfielder has found some momentum with 17 games, starting all, and has six goals and two assists.
Longstaff’s efforts at Field Mill has helped Nigel Clough guide the Stags into the League Two play-off final. Mansfield will face Port Vale for a place in the third-tier on Saturday, May 28 after finishing the regular season in seventh before beating Northampton Town.
Rodrigo Vilca now striving to impress back in Peru with Universitario
Rodrigo Vilca joined Newcastle from Peruvian side Deportivo Muncipal on deadline day in October 2020 for £225k. But despite moving to Europe at the age of 21 following 29 first-team appearances, the attacking midfielder is still yet to feature for the Magpies at all.
Bruce felt a loan transfer to Doncaster Rovers would aid his adaptation to the English style last August. Yet Vilca left the Eco-Power Stadium at the turn of the year with two goals and two assists from 13 games. Howe then sent the maestro back to Peru on loan in January.
But Vilca is now struggling to showcase his potential with Universitario, where he will stay until December. The midfielder has so far managed just seven appearances, is yet to score and has only managed one assist. He also received two yellow cards in 69 minutes in April.
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