adminNewcastle United’s decline in 2025/26 will have been a huge concern to the Saudi PIF, especially considering the money they have invested over recent seasons.
Last summer alone, over £180m was spent on new additions to bolster Eddie Howe’s side, but their investment failed to have the desired effect in the Premier League.
The Magpies ended the recent campaign in a measly 12th position, subsequently missing out on any form of European football for the 2026/27 campaign as a result.
Howe has since been given the benefit of the doubt and will once again lead the club next term, but there will undoubtedly be huge pressure on the 48-year-old to provide the goods.
Money will likely be splashed on Tyneside once again this window, as numerous top-level players have already appeared on their shortlist in recent weeks.
Over the last couple of days, Newcastle have already secured their first signing of the summer after goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen arrived from French club Reims.
However, the Magpies’ efforts have shown no sign of slowing down of late, as seen by their reported interest in striking a deal to sign Dušan Vlahović in recent weeks.
It’s been rumoured that the Serbian international is hugely admired by staff behind the scenes, but the Magpies could face competition from the likes of Chelsea for the free agent this window.
He’s not the only player currently in Howe’s sights at present, with Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram another player being considered ahead of the 2026/27 season.
According to TuttoSport, Newcastle have registered their interest in a move for the French international, who made 35 appearances in Serie A this campaign.
The report claims that Nottingham Forest and Sunderland are two other Premier League clubs in the race to secure the Frenchman’s signature at present, with all three clubs having commenced work on a potential move by sending scouts to keep a close eye on his performances.
The Old Lady are reluctant to offload the 25-year-old during the ongoing window, but they could be tempted to cash in should they receive an offer in the region of €40m (£35m).
Why Thuram would be better than Tonali for Newcastle
As seen last summer with Alexander Isak and already this window with Anthony Gordon, Newcastle have often had to cash in and sell some of their biggest talents.
Sandro Tonali is another player who could end up in the aforementioned category, with the Italian international hugely linked with a move away from St James’ Park this summer.
The 26-year-old has huge interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with the lack of European football on Tyneside a factor in his potential departure.
Howe’s side are set to demand a small fortune if Tonali departs the club this summer, with any interested party needing to fork out a fee in the region of £80m.
However, it could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Magpies this window, especially if they can make a huge profit on the former AC Milan star and land a deal for Thuram.
The Frenchman has massively caught the eye in Italy over the last couple of months, as seen by his superb stats across the 2025/26 campaign.
Thuram managed to make 2.2 tackles per 90, whilst also coming out on top of 54% of the ground duels he entered.
He also achieved a 62% dribble success rate in Serie A, alongside an 88% pass completion rate.
The Frenchman’s talents in possession, coupled with his skill set without the ball, make him a strong all-round option—and potentially a better one than Tonali.
Selling the Italian would be a bitter blow to Howe’s plans, but their lack of European football could make it hard to keep hold of him.
However, a move for Thuram could soften the blow and potentially give Newcastle a stronger box-to-box midfielder for £35m, which could help them push back up the Premier League table in 2026/27.
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Abdulhafiz Teslim
