Eight untouchables but rest of the Newcastle United players up for sale | OneFootball

The Newcastle United players have now completed their very successful 2024/25 season.

The question now is, how many of them will still be part of the squad when we reach September?

The Premier League transfer trading will eventually end at 7pm on 1 September 2025, so which Newcastle United players will no longer be with us?

As I see it, there are eight who are untouchables, eight Newcastle United players who Eddie Howe will be determined to keep.

These eight will be in the NUFC Head Coach’s starting eleven next season, if fit and available.

Those eight in my opinion are – Tonali, Isak, Bruno, Joelinton, Livramento, Hall, Botman, Gordon.

I know that Anthony Gordon didn’t have the best end to the season but he returned after a bad injury sustained whilst with England, then given limited chances and not in the easiest of circumstances. Regardless of that, I have no doubt that Eddie Howe sees the NUFC 2023/24 player of the season as a first choice player who will be in the team when the 2025/26 season kicks off.

As for the rest?

Well, I think all of the rest of the Newcastle United players are up for sale, although this needs to be qualified.

As in, they are up for sale if another club offers enough money, but in reality in many cases that is never going to happen. As many of these Newcastle United players are worth far more to Eddie Howe and NUFC, than any other club is realistically going to offer for them.

Take for example Fabian Schar and Dan Burn.

They have been the first choice central defensive partnership this past season and both were key to the success that brought a trophy and Champions League qualification.

Yet, what would other clubs feasibly offer for this pair of 33 year olds?

Certainly nothing remotely close to the value they have to Eddie Howe and Newcastle United as we approach this massive 2025/26 season. With all due respect I hope that neither Burn nor Schar are first choice this coming season, everything crossed that Sven Botman is physically 100% and can play all season, alongside the big money younger and more mobile top quality new signing right centre-back that is very much expected this summer.

This doesn’t mean that Dan Burn and Fabian Schar won’t be important in 2025/26, far from it. However, they will become high quality squad members who will still play plenty of football but not be expected to play every game, nor indeed be first choice.

For other clubs they would probably look at Burn and Schar as £5m valuations at the most I would guess, whereas for Newcastle United I think it would be £20m/£25m before it would make even any sense to consider letting them go. In the real world anyway, as I have indicated, other clubs wouldn’t be offering anything remotely close to £20m+ for either of them.

I see both Burn and Schar now moving into a very similar position to Kieran Trippier.

I am always bemused when I see fans including Trippier amongst those Newcastle United players who they see as logical departures this summer. I find that crazy to be honest.

This 2025/26 season is going to be a massive challenge for Newcastle United fighting on four fronts, including the Champions League, yet so many fans would be happy to see our most experienced high level player leave for a pittance, or even on a free.

Eddie Howe will be desperate to keep Trippier for the coming season and in 2024/25 he proved what a class act he still is, playing a significant part in helping to guide NUFC to that trophy and a Champions League place. His leadership qualities on and off the pitch are there for all to see and I think the progress that Hall and Livramento have made, I would be amazed if Trippier hasn’t played a significant role in helping.

I think Nick Pope is another player who a fair few Newcastle fans would be happy to move on. He is 33 now but in goalkeeping terms that isn’t old, at least three years I would have thought still left in the top tier. I think many fans would probably think £10m is a fair price to sell Pope at but I don’t think Eddie Howe will see it like that. Nick Pope is by a distance United’s best keeper and I am all for bringing in a new younger keeper this summer BUT to compete with Pope, not replace him. To take £10m would be false economy and I think we’d be in a really good place for keepers if keeping Pope and making that high quality younger signing.

In more general squad terms, I think Emil Krafth is another aged 30+ player who is good value to have around, as opposed to taking whatever transfer fee any club would pay.

Jacob Murphy has had a stand out season, one that he will probably struggle to match.

However, once again, whilst I don’t think he will be first choice next season, I see Murphy’s value to NUFC as far higher than any transfer fee a club might be willing to pay. I find it strange with Jacob Murphy to see him as the 30 year old squad veteran he now is, maybe it is his infectious smile that always makes me think of him as a young player still. Reality is that he will turn 31 during next season but can still be a valuable squad player as Newcastle will need numbers to compete in 2025/26.

It looks like Wilson, Ruddy, Lewis and Gillespie will all be moving on as their contracts come to an end on the 30th of this month.

Whilst I think that the likes of Dubravka, Lascelless and Targett may also move on, if clubs come in and make the right offers to Newcastle United and the players themselves. As we all know, Vlachodimos was a makeweight in the PSR double deal that took Anderson to Forest. The Greek keeper is actually a decent level I think and could find a new club, however his PSR value on Newcastle’s books could mean he goes out on loan rather than a sale I think, as otherwise he would end up as a negative for the club accounts.

That leaves five Newcastle United players.

Miley and Osula are promising talents and no chance I think of any club coming in with an offer that would be acceptable to Eddie Howe, in terms of their value when it comes to potential vs whatever value others would currently have on them.

Which then gives is

Barnes, Longstaff and Willock.

I think all three are clearly Premier League players, all at an age with plenty of years ahead of them, just a case now if other clubs will offer enough for Eddie Howe and Newcastle United to sell.

Willock and Longstaff were automatic first choice and key players in the top four finish of 2022/23. However, for various reasons, they are no longer first choice. No point though I think in letting them go at bargain prices, certainly not on loan. The only reason for selling is if Eddie Howe feels that the cash and extra PSR flexibility will then help allow him to bring in better replacements.

Harvey Barnes is a bit of a stand out in terms of Newcastle United players who could leave, in my opinion. He has shown himself to be something like back to his best and able to stay fit and available. I really like him but at the same time he is the one player who could generate a far higher transfer fee, than anybody else who isn’t a certain first choice player.

As always though, to sell anybody/anything, you need a buyer to come in and offer an attractive amount.

The way I see Harvey Barnes is that if say Eddie Howe has a budget that will allow him say two first eleven contenders as well as some squad signings, then if a Barnes sale could then give him the cash and PSR flex to then make at least one, possibly two, bonus first eleven contender signings, then it could make sense to sell.

On the other hand, I will be more than happy to see Harvey Barnes remaining as a Newcastle United asset this coming season, if that is what happens.

A big summer awaits as Eddie Howe positions his squad into one that can compete on those four fronts next season.