Newcastle: ‘Now Isak has the stage he craves as Magpies secure golden ticket’

[Pelican Press 0]

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Newcastle: ‘Now Isak has the stage he craves as Magpies secure golden ticket’

Despite the anti-climax of this performance, it capped a superb season for Newcastle and their inspirational manager Howe.

The start to their campaign was overshadowed by financial uncertainly as Howe became a reluctant seller to avoid the club breaking profit and sustainability rules. It has ended in glory, with the estimated £100m riches of the Champions League flooding into the coffers.

The notion of Newcastle winning silverware and qualifying for the Champions League seemed a distant prospect during those troubled times.

A transfer of England forward Anthony Gordon to Liverpool was considered, while there was a concern a £100m buy-out clause for Brazil midfield man Bruno Guimaraes might also be activated.

No offer came from Anfield for boyhood Liverpool fan Gordon, nor for Guimaraes, so it was talented young duo Yankuba Minteh and Elliott Anderson who were sacrificed to Brighton and Nottingham Forest respectively.

To add to Howe’s frustration, the summer-long pursuit of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi also ended in failure, with no deal done and the England defender remaining at Selhurst Park.

Howe, though, managed the instability superbly, recovering from an indifferent start to lead his side to that long-awaited trophy, then changing the club’s landscape even further by taking them back into the Champions League.

It has been a remarkable piece of management, clearing away any clouds of uncertainty still lingering at St James’ Park.

And Howe sounded in the mood to move Newcastle forward in a significant manner when he discussed this summer’s transfer business.

“Yes, it is going to be a big transfer window,” he said. “It’s difficult to say on numbers, but I do think it’s a window that we have to be active in and I’m sure we will be.

“The power of the Champions League and the pull of the Champions League is huge and we can’t get away from that, the excitement that this will bring for the people here.

“And of course it’s a selling point for us now, it’s an opportunity for us to sell that dream to future players that might be considering coming to us.

Newcastle’s resolve – which in their defence has never wavered – to keep outstanding striker Alexander Isak may just have been tested had they failed to finish in the top five. Now the Swede has the stage he craves, and which his ability deserves. Talk of a new contract will replace any speculation about a departure.

The same will apply to coveted, and influential, midfield duo Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali.

Jacob Murphy, at 30, finally fulfilled the potential Howe believed he had with eight goals and 12 assists in 30 Premier League games, while Isak, inevitably, was the spearhead with 23 goals and adding six assists in 34 league appearances.

At the heart of it all is Howe, whose legendary status on Tyneside has been cemented even further by this landmark and memorable campaign.

He believes Newcastle will be in better shape following their last Champions League appearance during the 2023-24 campaign, when they had an outstanding 4-1 home win over French champions Paris St-Germain but failed to reach the knockout phase.

“The experience we had there the first time will help us no end, I think,” admitted Howe.

“We felt we grew through the competition, so I think we are stronger. I think we are better prepared both physically and mentally for the competition ahead.”

Newcastle have already had one big parade and party for the Carabao Cup success. The celebrations on Sunday may not reach those heights, but the significance of what has been achieved, albeit with their season ending in defeat, cannot be underestimated.

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