Geordie Boot Boys

Newcastle United looked at signing Mohammed Kudus, but he is officially a Tottenham Hotspur player.

Kudus was a Newcastle United target, with the Ghana international viewed as an alternative to Anthony Elanga.

However, Elanga is becoming a Newcastle United player, as Eddie Howe lands his top target.

As for Kudus, he has also got the move he has been looking for. Tottenham Hotspur have signed the 24-year-old from West Ham United for £55million, as he swaps east London for north London.

Mohammed Kudus inspired by Spurs project

Following the announcement of his move to Tottenham Hotspur, Kudus has spoken about why he chose to make the move from West Ham.

There are two key factors: The project at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the ability of Thomas Frank.

“The most important part of why I have come here is the project and how the manager sees I can develop under him,” he said.

“Where he has come from and seen the amount of talent he has developed to become great players is a big sign of why I wanted to work under him.”

MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES

When you consider why Kudus has joined Spurs, it only feels right to assume that a move to Newcastle United would have been appealing too. The Magpies also have an incredibly exciting project, as well as a manager in Eddie Howe who is an expert at making players better.

But Howe wanted Elanga, with the Swedish attacker seen as a perfect fit for what he wants to achieve at St James’ Park.

Frank will hope that Kudus is equally as perfect for his Spurs side.

There is huge excitement surrounding Elanga’s arrival at St James’ Park, but Kudus is another player who would have been a hit with the Toon Army.

From Allan Saint-Maximin to Hatem Ben Arfa, Newcastle United supporters absolutely love maverick wingers. They are the type of players that you pay to see, getting fans on the edge of their seats every time they get the ball.

That is what Kudus is hoping to bring to Spurs, with the former Ajax attacker explaining what type of player he is.

“I’m a very direct winger, strong, very good in taking players on and creating chances, so there is a lot of flair in my game,” he said.

“I like to entertain the fans as well. That’s what football is about – it’s putting a memory in the heads of the fans that they have when they go back home, and after the money they’ve spent to buy a ticket.

“Although there is also a lot of seriousness and competitiveness in the game, I still think it’s a sport I try to enjoy as much as I can and give the fans something to enjoy too.

“I hope fans are going to really enjoy what I’m going to bring to the team here.”

While Kudus prepares to dazzle Spurs fans with his flair and trickery, it will be raw speed and assists that endear Elanga to the Toon Army.

He can provide the consistency that Howe wants from his wingers, as he gets set to compete with Jacob Murphy for a place in the Magpies’ starting XI.

Newcastle United suddenly face competition for one of their Anthony Elanga alternatives.

The Sweden international is one of Newcastle United’s top targets, with Forest rejecting a £45million bid for Elanga.

Geordie Boot Boys understand that Forest do not want to sell Elanga, so the Magpies will have to pay a premium to bring him to Tyneside.

Newcastle do have alternatives to Elanga, one of which is West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus.

Newcastle United face competition to sign Mohammed Kudus

The Magpies have got Kudus on their radar, but he is another player who is attracting interest from elsewhere.

According to the Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur want to sign Kudus from West Ham this summer.

The report adds that Kudus is open to the move, with Spurs very hopeful that they can sign the Ghana international for a lot less than his £85million release clause.

Why Newcastle United are unlikely to threaten Tottenham Hotspur in Mohammed Kudus race

Kudus would be an excellent signing for Newcastle United. He is the type of game-changer that Eddie Howe should be bringing to St James’ Park, while his ability to play anywhere across the forward line should make him even more appealing.

MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES

However, interest from Tottenham Hotspur suddenly makes a move to Tyneside less likely.

The last thing that the Magpies will want is to get embroiled in a bidding war. Unless the club are fully convinced by a move for Kudus, they are not going to go all out for the 24-year-old.

It was recently reported that Kudus is not Newcastle’s preferred winger target, with that honour belonging to Elanga. While Forest want to retain him, he is still very much available if the Newcastle United owners are willing to pay the money required.

It is more likely that Newcastle make a fresh bid for Elanga than fully pivot towards Kudus. The Forest winger is a long-term target on Tyneside and is someone who Howe really likes, whereas Kudus might not be totally suited to the Newcastle United manager’s style of play.

That could give Spurs a clear run at Kudus.

Newcastle United are set to follow in the footsteps of Everton and Tottenham Hotspur by building a brand new stadium.

Since the takeover in 2021, a question on a lot of fans’ minds has been whether the PIF will choose to expand St James’ Park or build a new stadium. It looks like Yasir Al-Rumayyan and co have opted for the latter.

It has been revealed that Newcastle United are looking to build a new ground just a stone’s throw away from St James’ Park. Newcastle are aiming to build their ground in Leazes Park, which would mean fans will not have to travel much further to see the Magpies play once the move has been completed.

A new stadium will cost Newcastle around £1.2bn, a gargantuan fee, but one that the PIF will be able to afford without much issue.

Initial reports suggested Newcastle’s new stadium would have a capacity of 65,000. However, it has since been revealed that Newcastle are pushing to have 70,000 seats.

With plans seemingly in place for the new ground, we look at how it compares to other Premier League clubs that have recently or are set to move into a new stadium.

Comparing Newcastle United’s new stadium to Tottenham and Everton

The decision to increase the capacity of the new ground came after 300,000 fans attended Newcastle’s Carabao Cup celebrations.

At the time, Newcastle fans called for a bigger stadium, but very few believed it would be something the club would look to do. However, it now looks like the new ground will have a few thousand more seats than expected.

MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES

The news means that Newcastle are set to build a stadium that dwarfs the likes of Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium and Tottenham’s new ground, which they moved into during the 2018/19 season.

Unlike Everton, Newcastle’s new stadium will be just a couple of minutes up the road from the existing ground. Everton fans have to make a big journey to the Hill Dickinson Stadium in comparison to the trip they had to make from Goodison Park, with their new ground being a staggering hour’s walk from their old stadium.

The biggest difference between the three stadiums will be the capacity. Newcastle’s proposed 70,000-seater ground will have almost 20,000 more seats than Everton’s new ground and around 8,000 more seats than Tottenham’s.

Rafa Benitez backs Newcastle to be successful in a new stadium with the backing of the PIF and more fans there to cheer them on.

When are Newcastle United set to announce their new stadium plans

With talk of a new stadium heating up, fans are eagerly awaiting the official club statement, which confirms what the PIF want to do. All signs are pointing towards the new ground rather than expanding St James’ Park.

It has been confirmed by journalist Luke Edwards that Newcastle are set to make their decision on a new ground at the end of June, around the same time as the PSR deadline.

It is also worth noting that a new stadium will take several years to finish, and the club needs to get planning permission approved by the council to build on Leazes Park.