Half of Newcastle United's top 10 signings since the PIF-backed takeover in 2021 are no longer at the club, according to a fan ranking list of all 34 first-team players signed since the Saudi Arabia-led purchase.
Supporters were asked to rank each player from best to worst, covering every arrival from the January 2022 window under Eddie Howe through to the present day. The results highlight both the success of early transfer windows and the impact of recent departures driven by financial restrictions and squad cost rules.
Top five dominated by early arrivals
Three of the five January 2022 signings feature in the top five, reflecting their immediate impact. Former captains Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier take the top two spots, with current captain Dan Burn in fourth. Lewis Hall is third and Anthony Gordon fifth.
Despite Bruno's exit leaving a bitter taste for some, he was forgiven by the majority to top the list. However, five of the top 10 have already left, with Alexander Isak at No 6 and Sandro Tonali at No 9, underlining the challenges Newcastle has faced in recent years.
Cut-price flops and big-money gambles
Odysseas Vlachodimos, signed for £20m from Nottingham Forest, comes last after just 45 minutes of first-team football. Others near the bottom, including John Ruddy, Harrison Ashby, Lloyd Kelly and Lloris Karius, cost little in transfer fees — Kelly was signed on a free and later moved to Juventus for £20m.
Yankuba Minteh never played for Newcastle after signing from Odense, with the club forced to sell him and Elliot Anderson to meet PSR demands in 2023. Nick Woltemade and Aladji Bamba stand out near the bottom, with Newcastle spending just over £100m on the pair. Woltemade's future is uncertain after a loan to Juventus following his £69m club-record move from Stuttgart in 2025, while Bamba, 20, was signed for the future and has yet to make an impact.
New recruits still finding their feet
Among recent signings, Sean Steur is already ranked No 12 by fans, the highest of the summer arrivals. Nico Gonzalez and Amar Dedic are expected to climb as their careers progress, while Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Bazoumana Toure rank 21st and 22nd, a reflection of limited game time so far.
The full ranking of all 34 players is available, and fans can still vote to adjust the order.
