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Victor Osimhen celebrates during the Serie A match between Torino and Napoli at Stadio Olimpico, Turin, March 2023.

7 statement signings Newcastle can target this summer: Osimhen, Mane

Newcastle United have gone from relegation strugglers to Champions League contenders since the Saudi Arabian takeover in October 2021, and their targets for the upcoming transfer window reflect their improved fortunes.

Under the management of Eddie Howe, Newcastle have enjoyed a superb 2022-23 campaign and are currently on course to bring Champions League football back to St James’ Park for the first time in 20 years.

Despite their status as the richest club in world football, Newcastle have made relatively modest moves in the market, including the signings of Kieran Tripper, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexandar Isak. They haven’t quite splashed the cash like Todd Boehly’s Chelsea or made any glamourous vanity signings like when Man City recruited Robinho back in 2008.

But a new report in The Telegraph suggests that Newcastle’s owners are ready to back Eddie Howe with a bumper warchest this summer. And the promise of Champions League football – plus hefty wages – will allow them to attack proven, elite talent.

We’ve identified seven realistic(-ish) targets for Newcastle in the summer transfer window as they look to build upon their success this season.

Victor Osimhen

Okay, Europe’s hottest property might not be that realistic but it’d be a hell of a way of sending out the signal that Newcastle are here to compete with the established big dogs.

A centre-forward might not be the Magpies’ biggest priority, given the club-record £63million spent on Alexander Isak last summer, but the 24-year-old Nigeria international – who has scored 21 Serie A goals to fire Napoli to their first Scudetto since the days of Maradona – would be a game-changer.

The fact that Manchester United and Chelsea are also reportedly targeting Osimhen would make landing his signature extra sweet.

James Maddison

The Leicester City playmaker has been among the Premier League’s most consistently creative midfielders over the past few years and a move away from the King Power appears imminent, especially if the Foxes suffer relegation at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Maddison has constantly been linked with a move to Tyneside over the past couple of seasons. The latest Telegraph report explicitly mentions the 26-year-old England international as a player “being discussed”.

Kaoru Mitoma

The Premier League’s most outstanding breakthrough talent of 2022-23, Mitoma has been absolutely electric for Roberto De Zerbi’s high-flying Seagulls.

The English top flight’s European elite have a long tradition of pillaging the best players down the food chain and you’d imagine this will be part of Newcastle’s strategy once they sit at the top table.

Sadio Mane

One of the best attackers in the Premier League over the course of his six years at Liverpool, Mane joined Bayern Munich in search of a new challenge last summer but the move hasn’t gone quite to plan.

The 30-year-old has yet to score in 2023 and hasn’t yet won over Bayern’s fans, while speculation is mounting that they’ll look to move him following his dressing room dust-up with Leroy Sane.

Moussa Diaby

Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen have been one of Europe’s surprise packages this season and France international Diaby has been among their standout players.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal “really, really like” the 23-year-old winger but they’ll face competition for his signature.

Diaby remains contracted at the BayArena until 2025 and wouldn’t come cheap.

READ: A superb XI of players let go too soon by PSG: Maignan, Simons, Nkunku…

Declan Rice

One of the first names on Gareth Southgate’s England teamsheets, Rice has been tipped to depart West Ham ever since he started catching the eye on the international stage.

The 24-year-old Hammers captain is increasingly being talked up as Arsenal’s top target this summer, while the long-mooted move to Chelsea appears increasingly unlikely given the state of the bloated squad built by Todd Boehly.

The player himself has big ambitions of turning out at the very highest level.

“Yeah, 100 per cent I want to play in the Champions League. For the last two or three years I’ve been saying that,” Rice said in December.

“I’ve been playing consistently well for my club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing.

“I see my friends here, who are playing Champions League and for big trophies. You only get one career and at the end you want to look back at what you’ve won and the biggest games you’ve played in. I really want to do that.”

Moises Caicedo

Another player that looks destined to move on and make Brighton a colossal profit, Caicedo has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most talented young midfielders.

Arsenal tried to sign the 21-year-old Ecuador international in January but were knocked back and eventually settled on Jorginho. Caicedo would cost a considerable fee but is the kind of player you can build a long-term project around.


READ NEXT: The Premier League net spend table since Newcastle’s takeover

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player Newcastle have signed for £10m+?