Geordie Boot Boys

Newcastle United have ended their losing streak by drawing 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur in pre-season.

An entertaining first half ended with one goal apiece. Brennan Johnson had looked to pour more misery on the Magpies with his fourth-minute opener, but Eddie Howe’s side fought back and levelled through a wicked Harvey Barnes strike.

Unlike Spurs, Newcastle United didn’t make a single change at the break as Howe aims to put his side through their paces after many were rested against Team K League.

A competitive half, which included many tackles that wouldn’t look out of place in a Premier League encounter, lacked a goal before the pace was derailed by Son Heung-min’s emotional farewell.

No side could find a winner and the game finished level.

Here’s how the players rated in the second half.

Nick Pope – 7

Wasn’t tested until the 72nd minute but got down to it well when he finally was. Made another good save and one strong catch, which was all that was asked of him.

Kieran Trippier – 7

Continued to play exciting passes into space for Murphy to work with and managed to keep his left flank more secure than in the opening half.

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Fabian Schar – 6

A great hooked clearance early on but otherwise Fabian Schar was rarely tested.

Dan Burn – 6

Met his match for strength when he came up against Mathys Tel but a lot more comfortable than in the first half as Newcastle controlled from the off.

Matt Targett – 7

His good display continued into the second half and he nearly got an assist with a dangerous cross into Gordon. Staked a case to be used more next season.

Lewis Miley – 6

A quiet second half after a bright opening 45 but was still tidy on the ball.

Bruno Guimaraes – 7

Took a nasty slip that looked worrying but shook off the knock to put in a typically industrious display. Even as the sitter in midfield, he was always looking to burst through the lines on the ball.

Joelinton – 6.5

Lucky not to be punished for a wayward elbow in the face of Archie Gray but the game became the exact sort of battle the Brazilian thrives in as he put his considerable strength to good use.

Was dispossessed to give Spurs their first opening and little quality on the ball, though.

Jacob Murphy – 8

Even more lively than in the first half, with explosive running into space, dangerous deliveries and continued great link-up play with Trippier.

Scrumptious ball for Gordon to score, but he was flagged offside, and some more great passes as he was the biggest threat for either side.

Anthony Gordon – 7

Only played 16 minutes but was a real danger in the box again. He was unlucky not to score after four minutes and then when he did find the back of the net with a smart finish, he was rightly flagged offside.

A really promising display from him up front.

Harvey Barnes – 6.5

Some more nice touches and threatening moments but didn’t get as many openings or real chances as he did in the first half.

Substitutes

Will Osula – 5

Immediately put himself about with his powerful running and drew a booking for Spurs when he burst past him. A lot of effort but little to show for it.

Tino Livramento – 6

A solid but unspectacular display at left-back before moving back to the right.

Lewis Hall – 6.5

A welcome return to the field for the first time since his season was cut short by injury and, within moments, he was making an important interception on the recovery.

Park Seung-soo – 6

As one Korean legend left the field, potentially one in the making entered to loud cheers for his second appearance in a Newcastle shirt. Put himself about and got one moment when he dazzled with some tricks on the ball.

Mark Gillespie – 6

A rare appearance for the goalkeeper who came on with 10 minutes to go and was alert to any danger.

Anthony Elanga – 6

Didn’t see much of the ball in a brief cameo.

Emil Krafth – 6

Solid.

Travis Hernes – 5

Came on late.

As Newcastle United fans await further news on Alexander Isak’s future, Yoane Wissa appears to be getting closer to a move to Tyneside.

Before it emerged that Alexander Isak wants to leave Newcastle, the club’s focus was to sign a striker who could play alongside and provide cover for him.

After missing out on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool, the Magpies turned their attention to Yoane Wissa. The 28-year-old is keen to leave Brentford, and looks ideally suited to what Eddie Howe needs.

It was reported on Thursday that Wissa to Newcastle was progressing, and now a further update suggests that the striker really could be Toon bound.

Yoane Wissa only wants to sign for Newcastle United

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has provided more details about Newcastle United’s pursuit of Wissa.

Despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, his only focus is a move to St James’ Park.

“I’m told that one is progressing well,” Downie said.

“There is hope and expectation that it will get done. One bid of £25million has been turned down. They are in talks over a deal for about £35million. Brentford know Newcastle are desperate, which is not helping the situation.

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“However, the player has made it clear he wants to move to Newcastle. He is not interested in Spurs. He is not interested in Nottingham Forest. Newcastle is the club he wants to go to, and the two clubs need to come to some kind of agreement. I am not expecting a number of bids to go in and be rejected. I think they will sit down and come to an agreement.

“I would expect some kind of movement there over the weekend, is what I am hearing. Wissa sounds like he is fairly close.”

Yoane Wissa is immediately endearing himself to the Newcastle United faithful

At a time when Isak wants to leave Newcastle during a summer in which the Magpies have missed out on multiple key targets, it is refreshing to hear that a player actually wants to move to St James’ Park.

That will delight the Toon Army, as they want to watch players who are totally committed to the cause on Tyneside. They want to watch players who want to don the famous black and white stripes and represent the region.

That is Wissa’s stance, despite also attracting interest from Spurs and Nottingham Forest.

In truth, his stance regarding Spurs is surprising. A move there would allow him to stay in London and give him the chance to play under Thomas Frank again.

Either Spurs’ interest is not actually that strong, or Wissa wants a fresh challenge. Either way, he could soon get that at Newcastle United.

Newcastle United are hoping to beat Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Yoane Wissa.

It has been reported that Wissa is open to joining Newcastle, while a move to Tottenham Hotspur has to be appealing too. After all, it would reunite him with Thomas Frank and allow him to continue living in London.

That puts Newcastle United under a bit of pressure, but Eddie Howe will be hopeful of tempting the 28-year-old to St James’ Park.

Kevin Nolan has predicted Wissa will join Newcastle, as the Magpies attempt to finally strike a deal for a striker after missing out on Hugo Ekitike, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.

Newcastle United ahead of Spurs in Yoane Wissa race

Fans will be fearful that the Wissa pursuit has the same outcome, but it is actually Newcastle United who are the frontrunners to secure his signature at this moment in time.

That is according to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, who has told the Last Word On Spurs YouTube channel that the Magpies are ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Wissa.

“From what I am hearing, Newcastle are a bit further down the line in terms of firming up their interest in him,” he said.

“But that asking price that Brentford want will be difficult for most clubs.

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“Difficult for the player as well, because his head is all over the place from what I read from one of my colleagues at the Telegraph, Sam Dean, was saying he’s not doing pre-season camp in Portugal with Brentford because of the unsettling nature of the speculation around his future.

“I’m sure that will rumble on for the next few weeks.”

How much Newcastle United must pay for Yoane Wissa

While Newcastle have done a bit more work towards a deal, a fee has not been agreed. An offer of £25million was turned down, while Geordie Boot Boys understand that Newcastle United have been preparing a £30million bid.

Even that might not be enough to satisfy Brentford’s demands.

According to the Telegraph, Brentford want at least £40million for Wissa, who is in the final year of his contract at the Gtech Community Stadium.

However, the Bees do have the option to add another year onto his deal, so his contract effectively runs until 2027.

Newcastle United are back on the trail of Yoane Wissa as they target an alternative to Hugo Ekitike.

The Magpies were dreaming of a club record deal for Ekitike, but he now looks destined to join Liverpool.

Newcastle’s Ekitike pursuit is over, as Eddie Howe takes his striker search elsewhere. It has been reported that Newcastle could turn to Benjamin Sesko, while Yoane Wissa is also on the Magpies’ radar.

It was claimed earlier in July that Newcastle had discussed Wissa, and now that interest in the Brentford forward could intensify.

Spurs might not rival Newcastle United for Yoane Wissa

Tottenham Hotspur have been targeting Wissa too, with Thomas Frank keen to link up with the 28-year-old again after swapping Brentford for Spurs.

However, an update from Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie suggests that Newcastle United might not need to worry too much about the threat of the Europa League holders.

After confirming Newcastle’s interest in Wissa, Downie wrote on X: “Spurs had also been interested in Wissa but the arrival of Mohammed Kudus has lessened the need for the addition of Wissa.”

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Kudus joined Spurs from West Ham for £55million earlier in July, with the winger swapping east London for north London. Newcastle looked at Kudus, but bought Elanga instead to play on the right wing.

That decision could inadvertently help the Magpies, as Kudus going to Spurs potentially negates the need for Wissa to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Another Premier League club want to sign Yoane Wissa

While Spurs might not get involved, there is another Premier League club that Newcastle must be wary of when it comes to Wissa. That is Nottingham Forest, who tried to bring him to the City Ground during the January transfer window.

It has been reported that Forest want Wissa again, and it is well known that they have money to spend after receiving £55million from Newcastle for Elanga.

But Newcastle have money to spend too. After all, they were willing to break their transfer record to sign Ekitike. They offered £70million for Ekitike, which would have made him Newcastle’s most expensive signing ever.

Newcastle United are not PIF’s top priority in the world of football, as evidenced by the Club World Cup.

While Newcastle United continue to tread carefully in the era of PSR, PIF partnered with FIFA for the Club World Cup. Their branding could be seen everywhere, as Chelsea took home the grand prize by beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 to win the Club World Cup.

It has been a highly controversial tournament, but it has been incredibly lucrative for Chelsea. However, the Blues are not the only club that could receive an inadvertent financial boost from the Newcastle United owners.

Tottenham Hotspur are the latest club that could benefit from PIF’s riches.

That is according to TalkSPORT, who claim that a subsidiary company of PIF are one of the frontrunners to become Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium sponsor.

The report claims that a naming rights deal is close to being finalised, with two options on the table for Spurs. The second option is not linked to PIF.

TalkSPORT add that Tottenham Hotspur are looking into the legalities of whether or not a deal would be considered a conflict of interests due to PIF being the majority shareholders at Newcastle United.

It remains to be seen how much money Tottenham Hotspur are in line to earn from their looming naming rights deal.

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As Tottenham Hotspur potentially get set to ink an incredibly lucrative deal with a PIF-linked company, Chelsea are already profiting from the Newcastle United owners.

They went all the way in the Club World Cup, beating PSG in the final on Sunday night. They were handed the trophy by Donald Trump, with the President of the United States awkwardly standing alongside the Chelsea players as they celebrated.

Winning the Club World Cup has earned Chelsea £84million. In essence, it has funded their deals to sign Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, two forwards who snubbed interest from Newcastle United to move to Stamford Bridge.

And it is money that has partially come from the Newcastle United owners, as PIF invested in tournament broadcaster DAZN in early 2025.

At the beginning of June, Geordie Boot Boys’ football finance expert Adam Williams admitted that PIF are effectively ‘funding’ the Magpies’ rivals with their Club World Cup involvement.

“In terms of the implications for Newcastle, I think an interesting way of looking at this is that they are effectively funding several of the club’s rivals, not just on the Premier League stage but also internationally as well,” he said.

“If Chelsea win the tournament, for example, they are going to get almost £100million in prize money. Now, Chelsea have got off the PSR hook with some creative accounting, but that’s not going to last them for the whole three-year domestic PSR cycle. £100million in prize money would let them breathe a lot easier, which in turn strengthens one of Newcastle’s direct rivals.

“I think this is emblematic of the fact that Newcastle aren’t PIF’s top priority. They are thinking much, much bigger. The club is an important part of the masterplan, but it is one cog in a machine. You can use the same analysis when it comes to PIF-owned Pro League sides buying waifs and strays from other Premier League sides for massive fees. Again, that has massively helped out some of Newcastle’s rivals.”

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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.