Newcastle United have been sculpted into a force over the past four years. Eddie Howe has been the architect of this staggering rise, qualifying twice for the Champions League inside three seasons and, last year, beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup.
The summer transfer window was a testing one for many reasons, but United have assembled a group of players ready to compete at the highest level once again.
But there’s no question that there’s work to be done. After all, the Toon sit 14th in the Premier League, and new signings are still bedding in.
But there’s so much world-class talent at Howe’s disposal, and the manager and his side’s success in tying down Sandro Tonali to a new contract is evidence of how mighty St. James’ Park is becoming.
Sandro Tonali's new contract at Newcastle
It has come to light that Tonali secretly signed a contract extension at Newcastle during his betting ban, meaning his new deal runs until 2029, with the club holding the power to activate a one-year extension.
The Italy international is now set to star at Newcastle for many years to come, and if interest does heat up, the Toon will hold all the cards concerning a player who has blended athleticism with intelligence and technical grace to become “one of the best footballers to ever play for Newcastle”, according to one prominent online supporter.
The bond he has forged with Bruno Guimaraes in the centre of St. James’ Park is a thing to behold. Together, they are supercharging Howe’s system, piecing together this next stage in Howe’s project, so the recent success will not be remembered as a flash in the pan.
Though the 25-year-old suffered through some adversity at the start of his career in England, he has since repaid the £55m investment and then some, good enough to become the next £100m+ sale.
The loss of Alexander Isak to Arne Slot’s Premier League champions? That one stung. But Newcastle banked a record-breaking £125m cheque for the departure of their former talisman.
And, whisper it quietly, but the Sweden striker’s sale has been cushioned and then some by the redirection of the funds.
Howe's latest Newcastle superstar
He’s the talk of the Toon. Despite raising eyebrows upon their club-record £69m acquisition of Nick Woltemade, the German striker is proving his worth and then some at the front of Howe’s system.
The 23-year-old is quickly climbing up to the high ground on which Tonali stands, and he could enter a similar £100m ballpark with a continuation of the resounding early performances in black and white.
Already, Woltemade has scored five goals for Newcastle, having only played eight times.
When fellow forward signing Yoane Wissa pulled up with a knee injury on international duty with DR Congo after completing his £55m transfer from Brentford to the north east, fears were heightened.
Isak had departed, had he not? And Wissa was the free-scoring, Premier League-tuned striker. But Woltemade has allayed concerns and then some with his displays over the past few months.
Howe and his analytical staff will have known all about Woltemade’s quality, but it’s hard to imagine they expected such a fast and seamless start to life in a new land.
BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan has even said that “there’s no striker on the planet who moves the ball like Woltemade.”
He’s not Isak, but that’s the beauty of it. Newcastle have signed a player with the potential to emulate elements of the 26-year-old’s game while adding his own flair and personality to the front of Howe’s system.
Goals
0.68
0.61
Assists
0.08
0.20
Shots taken
2.29
3.00
Shot-creating actions
3.74
2.79
Touches (att pen)
7.12
6.06
Pass completion (%)
72.9
75.4
Progressive passes
2.53
3.17
Progressive carries
1.41
2.52
Successful take-ons
1.37
1.36
Ball recoveries
2.61
1.84
Aerial duels won
2.05
0.89
The forwards’ comparable strength in directly taking on their opponents with the ball at their feet demonstrates their technical level. It absolutely accentuates Woltemade’s individual talent. Isak is more of an unrelenting runner, and he’s faster besides, but Woltemade arguably has neater close control.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
Moreover, the Germany international’s technical skill has been picked up in his recent weeks on Tyneside, with reporter Andy Sixsmith hailing him for flair, saying the phenom’s “link-up play is mesmerising”.
The transfer chatter, would you believe it, has already started up. German publication BILD have recently revealed that Bayern Munich, who had earmarked Woltemade as a summer transfer target, are still keeping a watchful eye on the lanky forward, with the report going on to suggest he dreams of returning to his homeland and signing for Die Roten one day.
That’s nice, but if the Isak saga tells us one thing, it’s that Newcastle will only let their prized pieces leave if they get bang for their buck.
And if Woltemade has started as he means to go on for the Tynesiders, he’s not going to be going anywhere for a figure beneath that which saw Isak book a one-way trip to Anfield.
It’s early days yet, and the rangy talent must now work on building consistency in the final third. But the early readings are oh-so promising, and Woltemade is already shaping up to be the real deal and perhaps the biggest star since Tonali blossomed.