It’s fair to say that Newcastle United haven’t always got it right in the transfer market, especially under Mike Ashley.

The Magpies have made enough mistakes to be in a better position when it comes to spending their new-found riches. Now in their first summer as one of the richest clubs in world football, they’ll be hoping to have learnt from previous mistakes.

With that said, we’ve ranked Newcastle United’s biggest flops of the Premier League era.

10) Sol Campbell 

Featuring one of the greatest Premier League centre-backs of all time on this list feels somewhat ludicrous, but here Sol Campbell is.

The idea of signing experience is always a harmless one; a helpful one, if you will.

But, the fact is, sometimes experience doesn’t necessarily bring a player in their prime and ready to perform, as Newcastle found out when signing a 35-year-old Campbell.

He made a total of eight appearances before slipping away into retirement.

9) Jean-Alain Boumsong

When a player’s former club are surprised to see a player attract interest for a fairly decent fee, then the buying club are in big trouble.

The scout who took the central defender to Rangers, Paul Montgomery, told Chronicle Live: “I said ‘he can’t play in the Premier League’.

“When we signed him, I told Alex, ‘he’ll be like Beckenbauer in Scotland but when we play the good teams in Europe, he’ll get found out’.” 

And, best believe, that’s exactly what happened.

8) Claudio Cacapa 

Claudio Cacapa’s time at Newcastle was summed up when Sam Allardyce subbed the Brazilian off with just 18 minutes on the clock against Portsmouth.

This was a player fresh off the back of six Ligue 1 titles.

Yet, come the end of his time at St James’ Park, this was a player destined for the ‘flop’ category of Premier League transfers.

In total, he played 29 times for the club and left to no fanfare whatsoever.

7) Hugo Viana 

Billed as one of the best young players in world football at 19, Newcastle mustn’t have believed their luck when they managed to sign Hugo Viana.

But that lucky feeling soon turned into incredible disappointment.

The midfielder scored just four goals in 61 appearances for Newcastle and he departed for Sporting Lisbon in 2004. 

He’s actually gone on to have a decent career, and played 29 times for Portugal; he just couldn’t adjust at Newcastle.

6) Siem de Jong 

The football gods just didn’t want Siem de Jong to star, or even consistently feature, for Newcastle.

The Dutchman arrived in 2014, before going through injury hell.

The former Ajax man even suffered a collapsed lung at St James’ Park. Say what you want about De Jong as a player, but the fact is, he didn’t exactly get the luck he needed at Newcastle.

In the end, he only managed to play 26 times for the club and only scored twice; he’s still going, and is now playing for De Graafschap in Holland’s second-tier.

5) Chancel Mbemba 

Since leaving Newcastle, Chancel Mbemba has flourished at Porto, hitting the form of his life.

So, what went wrong at Newcastle?

Well, for starters, in his final season at the club, the centre-back was forced to play out of position at full-back, which is not how you help a struggling central defender.

It’s also fair to say that Mbemba featured in a difficult era for Newcastle, making things even more difficult.

4) Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa 

Arriving as a Ligue 1-winning captain, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa seemed to have all the potential to become a real asset for Newcastle.

He made just 46 appearances in 18 months, however, and fell victim to the Magpies’ habit of playing struggling centre-backs at full-back, before leaving the club.

Amazingly, he actually seemed to thrive after leaving the club, even playing in the Champions League for both Roma and Lyon.

Now, though, he’s without a club.

3) Seydou Doumbia 

Every Fifa player would have been excitedly rambling on about just how good Seydou Doumbia was in 2016 after seeing the forward join Newcastle on loan. 

And, in fairness, he wasn’t just a good player in the video game, his record at CSKA Moscow spoke for itself, as he netted 95 goals in 150 games for the club, before making just three appearances for Newcastle.

He just didn’t seem to fit in at the club and was not kept around; he later had spells at Basel, Sporting Lisbon, Girona and Sion before bringing the curtain down on his career at Maltese club Hamrun Spartans.

2) Florian Thauvin 

Florian Thauvin must be one of Newcastle’s biggest regrets when you look at how he’s done since leaving the club.

Of course, the Frenchman didn’t help himself, however, opting to do his best 007 impression by arriving dressed in a full tux in a home game against Watford.

But, he clearly had talent, given the fact that he has since starred for Marseille back in France.

During his time at Newcastle, though, he played just 16 times and only scored one goal. What a shame.

1) Remy Cabella 

Remy Cabella arrived at Newcastle United as a player meant to be the difference-maker; the man to take the Magpies out of mediocrity.

In the end, however, he was the exact opposite, making 34 appearances in one season for Newcastle and scoring just the one goal in what was an incredibly disappointing spell in England.

Having cost £12m from French club Montpellier, he was a bitter disappointment, and has since played for Marseille, Saint-Etienne, Krasnodar, Montpellier, again, and Lille.

So, there you have it, our list of Newcastle United’s biggest flops of the Premier League era. We’re sure that, if the Magpies spend their riches unwisely in the coming transfer windows, then this list will need a re-write. As of right now, however, their business deserves a bit of praise. The players that they have welcomed since the takeover have been nothing but smart acquisitions. 

Journalist Alasdair Gold has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez is open to leaving the club at the end of the season.

What’s going on with Davinson Sanchez?

The defender, who arrived for around £42m from Ajax in 2017, has started just six league games this season, and with his contract expiring in 2024, he could be set to leave the club.

He started in Spurs’ loss to Sheffield United in the FA Cup, and his performance did not do him any favours as he seeks more regular first-team opportunities.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Gold revealed that Sanchez wants to move on from the club, and that all signs point towards a summer departure.

(46:20) “I know that he’s wanting to head off. He’s been open to a move in some of the recent windows. One in particular, during the pandemic, he really did kind of want to get back to his family and everyone,” he stated.

“He’s not getting the starts. I think he’s made six Premier League starts this season, so from his point of view, he wants to go somewhere and play regularly as well.

“I guess maybe is it about Spurs and their financial demands? I don’t know. I feel like we’re coming to a summer where it’s almost like a natural parting of ways.”

How has Sanchez’s time at Spurs been?

Given that he was the most expensive defender in the history of the club until Cristian Romero’s arrival in 2021, Sanchez has arguably been a disappointment overall.

He has made 199 appearances for the club, but has come in for some strong criticism for his performances over the years, and he is fourth choice, at best, in this current Spurs side.

At just 26, he should be coming into his prime years, having signed for the club when he was young, but his time at the club has not panned out the way they thought it would, and he now looks set to depart for what could be a massive financial loss on his transfer fee.

Sky Sports News journalist Kaveh Solhekol has claimed that the Manchester United takeover can happen “pretty quickly” with just two bidders interested – and that will be a big boost for upcoming transfer plans.

What’s the latest on the Man United takeover?

With the club seemingly up for sale, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari-linked Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani have made official bids. And while US hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has also put its name forward as potential investors, the firm is not in line to make a bid of its own.

With that in mind, it looks to be a two-horse race if the Glazers do decide to sell the club for good. According to Solhekol, this could potentially mean a sale can happen in the near future.

If that is the case, the journalist explained, manager Erik ten Hag will be happy as he will want to know who is going to be “signing the cheques” in the summer transfer market.

While talking on Sky Sports News, he explained: “If there are only two serious bidders to buy all of Manchester United, then this can happen pretty quickly.

“I think, ideally, for everybody, if it was to happen by the end of the season, that would be perfect. Because going into the transfer window, Erik ten Hag needs to know who’s going to be signing the cheques.

“Is it going to be the Glazers? Is it going to be Sheikh Jassim? Is it going to be Sir Jim Ratcliffe? So it would make sense if it’s sorted out before the end of the season.”

What does the latest takeover news mean for Man Utd’s transfer plans?

It seems as though the Glazers were unwilling or unable to spend big last January as the club opted to replace Cristiano Ronaldo with Burnley striker Wout Weghorst – who arrived on loan until the end of the season for a £2.6m fee.

With that in mind, if the summer arrives and no change has been made in terms of ownership, Ten Hag may well be concerned that he won’t be backed sufficiently to help take the club to a new level.

For example, when Weghorst’s loan ends the Red Devils will likely be in the market for an exciting new striker and £100m fees have been touted amid links to the likes of Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen.

Now if United has been sold to either Sir Jim Ratcliffe or Sheikh Jassim by that stage, then perhaps such deals would be possible. However, if the club’s future remains undecided in terms of ownership, then things may well be complicated.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wants the club to sign Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Barella profiled

Barella is primarily a central midfielder who can also be deployed in holding or attacking midfield roles. The 26-year-old is valued at a career-high €70m (£61.6m) by Transfermarkt and has made 42 senior appearances for Italy.

He has been with Inter since 2020 and has made 166 appearances for the Serie A giants, 31 of which have come during the current campaign.

The Latest: Man United interested in Barella

Football Insider shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding United and Barella. They claimed that Ten Hag is a ‘huge fan’ of the player and wants the club to pip Manchester City to his services.

The report also relayed a £70m price tag for Barella, who is under contract at the San Siro until 2026.

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The Verdict: Get it done

United have been short in midfield in recent months, with Christian Eriksen’s injury diagnosis on January’s transfer deadline day leading to Marcel Sabitzer’s temporary arrival. Therefore, bringing in a new marquee midfielder like Barella could be a wise move by United chiefs in the summer in looking to build on a hugely positive first season under Ten Hag.

Barella has been Inter’s third-best performer this season according to WhoScored metrics with a 6.97 rating, registering the joint-most assists at the club and outperforming the likes of Sabitzer, Eriksen, Fred and Scott McTominay at Old Trafford.

With that in mind, the Italian – who was called ‘world class’ by former Azzurri national team coach Marcello Lippi – could form a solid partnership alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes at United going forward, although the club will seemingly need to spend big to get a deal over the line for the Inter dynamo.

Manchester United’s outlay in the transfer market since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 has been borderline obscene.

£80m on Harry Maguire, £59.7m for Angel Di Maria and £75m spent on Romelu Lukaku represented moves which didn’t quite work out, yet they cost the Old Trafford side millions in fees and wages.

There is no doubt that poor business in the transfer market set the club back years and it only feels like now under Erik ten Hag that the Red Devils could become a force once again.

Along with the three aforementioned transfers, Jose Mourinho arguably wasted the most money by splashing out a staggering £89m to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus in the summer of 2016, and to say the move didn’t go as planned is an understatement at best.

How much did Paul Pogba cost Manchester United?

When Mourinho took over at United in 2016, he was looked upon as the manager who could bring the side out of their post-Fergie malaise and back into the big time.

Winning three trophies in 2016/2017 was certainly a solid enough start, yet that was about as good as it got for the Portuguese manager, and Pogba’s performances didn’t exactly set the fire alight either.

His first three seasons produced 31 goals, while he also registered 29 assists, yet he couldn’t lead United to any more silverware other than the three captured during his first season.

Manchester United writer Samuel Luckhurst even described him as “woeful” in April 2019 and his performances were only going to get worse after that.

His final three seasons in a United jersey saw him net just nine times while missing 75 matches due to a variety of injury issues and having splashed out £89m for his services, it's fair to say Juventus got the much better end of the deal.

Combining his transfer fee plus the wages he received at the Red Devils (£85.8m between 2016 and 2022) meant the Frenchman managed to rinse the club for an astounding £175m over those 308 weeks.

The astronomical fee proves that throwing money at players simply won't work and at the end of last term, he re-joined Juventus on a free transfer.

Ten Hag has spent a significant sum of money at United so far, however, his signings look like they have already played a key part in bringing the side back to where they belong. Signing duds like Pogba will hopefully be a thing of the past as the club continue its new era under the Dutchman.

Leeds United return to Premier League action today as they once again play host, this time welcoming high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion to Elland Road.

The Seagulls come to Yorkshire in scintillating form, with Roberto De Zerbi having overseen just one loss in 2023 in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Javi Gracia still has the unenviable task of revitalising a toothless side who have just one goal in their last five games played.

Defensive solidity will likely be the Spaniard’s best port of call for grinding out a result against the well-oiled machine that visits them today, and by quelling their biggest threats they can improve their odds of claiming an important result.

The first issue they must deal with is Kaoru Mitoma, who has starred this campaign. His pace and trickery might prove too much for Luke Ayling, but the steely Rasmus Kristensen could well rise to the challenge posed.

Will Rasmus Kristensen start for Leeds vs Brighton?

Having clearly been signed as per Jesse Marsch’s orders, the Danish full-back now finds himself without his former boss to oversee his development. The 25-year-old must force his way back into the side on merit, and has only made one appearance in their last nine league games.

His presence remains felt throughout the club even on the bench, as former manager Matthias Jaissle once dubbed the steely ace as a “leader”.

However, before his removal from the starting side, the £40k-per-week titan had shown the defensive qualities that suggest he could keep certainly the Japanese star quiet.

The biggest issue the Brighton man brings is his natural talent to waltz past defenders, outlined in his impressive 60% dribble success rate.

This is somewhat countered by the 2.7 tackles the defender averages per game, whilst evening the odds with his 58% duels won this season, via Sofascore.

Not only that, but last season Kristensen proved his penchant for pushing forward too. Even journalist Josh Bunting noted how he looked forward to watching him:

“Rasmus Kristensen is an extremely physical player, he’ll fit into the Premier League, so powerful driving forward from full-back”.

Whilst he is yet to showcase that in England, his seven goals, three assists and 1.2 key passes per 90, via Sofascore, are indicative of a threatening presence that will have Mitoma also thinking about his role in quelling that threat.

Whilst it may seem a tall order to topple the visitors, the physicality and unrelenting work rate of the former RB Salzburg general could prove imperative in unsettling their rhythm with the backing of a raucous Elland Road crowd.

Glasgow Rangers are set to miss out on a significant financial windfall as Alfredo Morelos has reportedly signed a pre-contract agreement with another club.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

Morelos is out of contract this summer, meaning that he can leave Ibrox as a free agent.

There have reportedly been talks over a new deal, but the striker has not put pen to paper on one as of yet.

The Latest: Signed with Sevilla…

According to Vamos Mi Sevilla, Morelos has signed a pre-contract agreement with Sevilla, and has ‘already committed’ to the club.

The report cites that he has a market value of €10m (£8.8m), which Rangers are set to miss out on by losing him on a free transfer.

The Verdict: Big loss

Morelos will be a big loss to the Gers, both financially and in terms of what he offers to the team.

The Colombia international has found a rich vein of form under Michael Beale, scoring seven goals and making a further four assists in 16 games in total over all competitions so far (Transfermarkt).

He has been such a Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 season.

Nonetheless, not even bringing in a transfer fee for the 26-year-old will hurt even more, making Morelos an even more difficult player to replace this summer.

The football world is an ever-shifting and evolving economy full of blockbuster deals and shrewd business decisions. Now more than ever, it’s a game driven by money. Lucrative TV deals and football betting floods cash into the sport, and, more often than not, it’s the clubs with the financial might and business acumen that rise to the very top.

Chelsea have never been shy about spending money, but this always comes with some degree of risk. Players, no matter how good they are, are never guaranteed to be a success, while spending big also requires careful navigation of strict fair play regulations. Will Chelsea have to coordinate a fire-sale in the summer? Find out here.

Big Spending at Stamford Bridge

After long-time owner Roman Abramovich stepped away from Chelsea in 2022, it wasn’t long before a consortium led by American billionaire Todd Boehly stepped in to take over, purchasing the club for a record-breaking sum of £4.25 billion.

Since taking over in the summer of 2022, Boehly has overseen a period of incredible spending at Stamford Bridge. In less than a year, Chelsea have splashed out over £500 million on 16 players. This is a staggering sum even by today’s standards. The latest big purchase came in the form of World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez, who joined Chelsea from Benfica for a transfer fee of £106.8 million, an all-time record for English football.

This level of spending is unsustainable, no matter how deep Boehly’s pockets may be. To balance the books and trim down a bloated squad, Chelsea are going to offload a significant number of players in the summer. The question is – who will it be?

Who will be Leaving Chelsea?

In what may come as a surprise to some, and not to others, one of the first names said to be heading for the door is Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly. The 31-year-old was a stalwart in defence for his previous club Napoli, before joining Chelsea last summer in a deal valued at around £30 million. However, he has thus far failed to properly settle into life in west London, putting in a series of patchy performances that are part of the reason why Chelsea have struggled so much this season.

Koulibaly was one of the club’s marquee signings last summer, so the fact he could be heading for a premature exit is a testament to the club’s focus on turning things around and becoming a contender for the title and European spots again.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is another one certainly tipped for an early exit. He signed from Barcelona last year, but has failed to make any real impact, despite previous success in the Premier League with Arsenal. Other big players strongly rumoured to be heading for the door are Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount, and Hakim Ziyech.

Conclusion

In football today, money equals success. Clubs must have the means to spend big if they want to win silverware. However, they also need to be ruthless in who they let go as well. Chelsea’s fire-sale strategy is risky, but could pay dividends if it works.

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Liverpool are interested in signing RB Leipzig sensation Josko Gvardiol and could complete their defence with a successful swoop for the Croatian World Cup star.

What’s the latest on Liverpool’s pursuit of Gvardiol?

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, speaking via his column for Caught Offside, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp instigated discussions for the 21-year-old defender in January, though his German Bundesliga outfit were unwilling to converse midway through the campaign.

This follows prior reports that despite interest from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, it is the Merseyside outfit that hold the greatest admiration for the rising prodigy, though his €110m (£97m) release clause may prove a hindrance.

The defender has also admitted Liverpool is his favourite team, saying: “My dream club? That would definitely be Liverpool. Since I was little, I watched a lot of their matches with my dad.

“We covered every season in detail. It is a club that has remained in my heart.”

Is Gvardiol really the dream VVD partner?

Liverpool’s defending this season has been questionable, with the midfield failing to provide the requisite support to allow the machine to churn at full throttle, but also the efforts of the backline often lamented as lackadaisical and woeful in the face of pressure.

And despite a recent purple patch that has been recently iced with an incredible 7-0 demolition of historic rivals Manchester United, the likes of Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have been under fire for the regularity of their wayward showings.

And Gvardiol, who has made 75 appearances for Leipzig, could be the perfect addition to strengthen Klopp’s squad and ensure that silverware is gleaned over the coming years.

Ranking among the top 1% of defenders in Europe’s best five leagues for attempted passes, the top 8% for progressive passes, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, the 19-cap colossus fits the mould that Klopp desires – ball-playing prowess and a creative robustness to ensure counter-attacking moves can take off with lightning speed.

Should he arrive at Anfield, the “Rolls-Royce” – as heralded by journalist Zach Lowy – could be the perfect partner for £75m monster Virgil van Dijk, who has been instrumental to Liverpool’s success since signing from Southampton in 2019, notably winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

Van Dijk ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for attempted passes per 90, also maintaining an impressive career average 87.4% passing accuracy and winning 4.1 aerials per match, as per WhoScored, and with his imposing presence and Gvardiol’s dynamic aura, combining with the superlative passing skills of both phenoms, Klopp could boast one of football’s most devastating defensive pairings.

While the cost would be high, Liverpool need to act with conviction if they are to return to the top spot in both English and European football – table-toppers Arsenal are currently 21 points above the Reds, who trail Real Madrid 5-2 after the first leg of their Champions League knockout tie – and ensure that success is laden with silver across the coming years under Klopp’s tutelage.

With Gvardiol’s inclusion alongside Van Dijk, the jackpot could well be hit, with past feats potentially being eclipsed, and sustained triumph sure to follow.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester City have offered Julian Alvarez a new contract and a payrise less than a year after joining, as they see him as a big part of their plans.

How has Alvarez performed for Man City?

The Argentina striker joined from River Plate in the summer and has since won the World Cup, but is second-choice at centre-forward behind Erling Haaland.

Nevertheless, the club view him as an integral part of their plans going forward and have now offered him a new contract despite him joining less than 12 months ago.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano gave insight into the details of the contract on the table.

He said: “Now what’s going on is that Manchester City have sent a new proposal to the player.

“So on the table of Julian Alvarez and his agents, there is a fresh proposal from Manchester City to extend the contract, and especially to have a new salary.

“From what I understand, the new proposal is on the table, Manchester City have improved their bid. And now it’s on Julian Alvarez, but there is optimism on both the player’s and club’s side to get the agreement reached and done as soon as possible.

“This could be important news for Man City, for the present and future, as we had many rumours, but let me clarify that for City, Alvarez is absolutely part of the project and an important player for the team and for Pep Guardiola.”

Where can Alvarez play for Man City?

Given Haaland’s astonishing form this season, with 33 goals in 34 games, it is unlikely that Alvarez will be able to displace him from the starting XI any time soon.

Alvarez has started just six of his 19 league appearances as a result, and has either played alongside Haaland as a second striker or on the wing.

Guardiola does have the option of switching to a two-striker formation, but given that this has not happened in his tenure when the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero were battling for the same position – the duo only shared time on the pitch for as much as 45 minutes on 21 occasions – it seems unlikely that this could happen soon.

Haaland has described Alvarez as “amazing”, perhaps indicating that despite competing for the same spot, that the two can co-exist in the same side.

Alvarez may therefore have to settle for a wide role for the time being, but this prospective new contract indicates that City have no intention of letting him go, and could offer him more playing time in order to convince him to sign a deal.