When it comes to Newcastle United’s signings, exactly four years ago today was a hugely pivotal moment.
On January 7, 2022, Kieran Trippier signed.
The England international is seen as a huge first for Newcastle United, especially for just £12 million.
Just months earlier, Trippier had helped Atletico Madrid win the league, with the full-back being named in the 2020/21 La Liga squad of the season.
Kieran Trippier had also followed up the La Liga title win by playing a key role in England reaching the Euro finals in 2020 (postponed from 2020 and played in 2021 due to Covid).
How did United land such a great player as the first of Newcastle United’s signings under the then recently installed new club owners, especially when relegation seemed all but certain?
The answer? Eddie Howe.
Yes, Eddie Howe is to blame, as he would be for many more brilliant signings at Newcastle United.
The two knew each other well; Eddie Howe had signed Kieran Trippier when he was managing Burnley.
The rest, as they say, is history…
In January 2022, Eddie Howe (as well as Kieran Trippier £12m) signed Dan Burn (£13m), Bruno Guimaraes (£35m plus £6.25m possible add-ons), Chris Wood (£25m) and Matt Targett (loan).
Summer 2022 and it was Nick Pope (£10m), Matt Targett (£12m), Sven Botman (£35m), Alexander Isak (£59m plus £4m add-ons).
In January 2023, Eddie Howe added Anthony Gordon (£40m plus £5m add-ons).
Summer 2023 they were Sandro Tonali (£55m), Harvey Barnes (£38m), Tino Livramento £32m plus £6m add-ons), Lewis Hall (loan and deal to make permanent for £28m in summer 2024), Yankuba Minteh (£7m).
January 2024 there were no significant signings.
In the summer of 2024 we saw Odysseas Vlachodimos (£20m) and Will Osula (£10m plus potential £5m add-ons).
January 2025 there were no significant signings.
Summer 2025 and Anthony Elanga (£52m plus £3m potential add-ons), Jacob Ramsey (£39m), Malick Thiaw (£30m plus £4m add-ons), Nick Woltemade (£65m plus £4.3m add-ons), Yoane Wissa (£55m) and Aaron Ramsdale (loan).
Crazy
In the crazy world we live in now, this season I have seen some fans wanting to blame Eddie Howe for Newcastle United’s signings last summer.
The reasoning seems to be that because there was no Sporting Director this summer, it was Eddie Howe who decided all the signings at Newcastle United and this led to the summer activities being a disaster.
I can’t tell you how sad I feel for things like that from every Newcastle United fan.
If you blame Eddie Howe for Newcastle United’s signings in the summer of 2025, you are ‘blaming’ him for all the signings made before that.
Eddie Howe has had the final say in all Newcastle United signings over the past four years.
His judgment was excellent and the signings were key to the success of the last four years, plus of course Eddie Howe who worked with both new signings and inherited players to improve them all.
It is also insane and very premature to make such negative judgments about last summer’s major purchases.
Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw have already proven themselves as brilliant signings, while Yoane Wissa is also an excellent one in my opinion.
Eddie Howe was forced into a situation to buy Isak where he had to replace him and it wasn’t Howe’s fault that Wissa got injured. The striker is now showing his quality.
I think Jacob Ramsey will do well and prove to be at least a decent signing, while Anthony Elanga is still only 23 and should be given time. The fact that he had the highest number of PL assists last season shows that he is not a dud.
Even if that did indeed turn out to be the case, would one big failure out of so many great successes really make Eddie Howe a failure when it comes to Newcastle United’s signings?
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