Eddie Howe pulled one of the premier league’s greatest escape acts with Newcastle United during the 2021/2022 season.
The Magpies were one point off the bottom of the table with 11 points come the end of December 2021, having finally recorded their first victory of the season against Burnley on the fourth. Fast forward to the end of the season, and Howe’s side finished 11th in the table and 14 points from the dropzone, completing a league double on Burnley, who were relegated as a result of that defeat.
Many football odds had tipped them for much more success as soon as the £305 million Saudi Arabia-backed takeover was complete, but much of the team’s success was seen after the January transfers.
Transfers Key to Success
When Newcastle beat Arsenal two-nil on the 16th of May 2022, they looked more like Champions League contenders than their north London rivals. It is this same form that the Magpies will need to emulate next season to challenge for the European spots.
During the January transfer window, Newcastle went on a £95 million spending spree bringing in five players, including former Tottenham Hotspurs right-back Kieran Trippier and Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. They also bolstered their attack with the signing of Burnley striker Chris Wood.
The combination of the new signings and the players getting more used to Howe’s style of play resulted in Manchester City, Liverpool and Spurs being the only teams with more clean sheets and wins than Newcastle since January. Fans will not have wanted the season to end with the form their team was in and will hope the Magpies can pick up where they left off come the start of the 2022/2023 season.
Where Do Newcastle Need Signings?
The winter loan of defender Matt Target from Aston Villa is now a permanent deal, signing for £12 million, and there is more still in the works if Howe is going to have the depth he needs to challenge for the European spots.
They finished only seven points behind Westham United, who have the final European football spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL). They were only nine points behind Manchester United, who took the last Europa League place in sixth. With a better start to the season and consistent form, the Magpies can give a good shout for either one of the second-tier or third-tier European places. The Champions League is a bit too ambitious for the team, and it’s not something the board should be aiming for this early in Howe’s tenure.
Newcastle will need to buy another out-and-out striker as Chris Wood has yet to find his form, and Callum Wilson, although prolific, needs to reignite his form and keep away from injury. Wilson has only started 39 of the last 76 league games for the Magpies, and both strikes haven’t had a 15-goal season. Goals are needed to win games, and they need a striker who can convert consistently, and competition for the place on the starting lineup could be key for performance.
One hopes they can spend within the Financial Fairplay regulations and bring in players of value to the team, for it is easy to go on a spending spree that yields little. We have seen it happen on many occasions.