Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith has admitted that Newcastle United are struggling to land signings because the club's project is no longer as appealing as it once was. The Magpies have missed out on key targets this summer, including Victor Munoz and Johan Manzambi, who chose Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively.
Missed Targets and Player Departures
Newcastle felt both deals were secured before being hijacked, with Manzambi citing Champions League football as a factor in his decision to join Villa. The club's 12th-placed Premier League finish last season meant no European football, and financial restrictions limit their ability to pay high fees or wages.
This follows a similar pattern from last summer, when Newcastle missed out on Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and James Trafford amid the Alexander Isak transfer saga. The club has also seen Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon leave this summer, while captain Bruno Guimaraes has indicated a desire to depart.
Smith's Assessment
Speaking to BestBettingSites.co.uk, Smith said: "I can’t speak for the players, but maybe they don’t see Newcastle as a club that’s on the up, as it was, as I think people viewed it a few years back with the Saudi takeover and the money available. Everybody thought, “Oh, they’re going to challenge now consistently for Champions League spot”, and that they’ve fallen away for various reasons."
He added: "So maybe it’s just not as attractive a club as it used to be for these players. Money, of course, always comes into it, but you really do feel for Newcastle. I think things feel so flat on Tyneside. And Eddie Howe must be thinking, wow, how am I going to get a tune out of a squad where we’ve lost the heartbeat of our team in [Sandro] Tonali, maybe Guimaraes."
Outlook for the Season
Smith believes Newcastle will improve slightly but not enough for European qualification. "I think they’ll do a little bit better. They don’t have the Isak stuff, but we’ve got the Guimaraes stuff now, haven’t we? But no, I don’t think they’re going to be fine for Europe, unfortunately, just below that."
The club's decline marks a stark contrast to the excitement following the Saudi-led takeover, when Newcastle were seen as a rising force. Now, with financial constraints and a lack of top-class signings, Eddie Howe faces a significant challenge to revitalise the squad.
