Newcastle arrive at Mestalla amid Jaissle-led rebuild as Valencia tune up in Trofeu Taronja | OneFootball

Valencia host Newcastle in the Trofeu Taronja on Saturday at Mestalla, a dress rehearsal between two sides entering the new season with more questions than answers.

According to Superdeporte, Newcastle are in transition after finishing 12th in the Premier League last term, a disappointing return for a squad built to contest European places.

Eddie Howe ended his five-year tenure in the summer and has been replaced by Matthias Jaissle. The 38-year-old German arrives from Al-Ahli, having previously impressed at Red Bull Salzburg with high pressing and vertical play, as the club seeks to refresh the squad and start a new cycle.

The window has been defined by exits. The most significant is Bruno Guimarães, who is set to join Arsenal in a deal close to £75 million. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali will also not continue.

Recruitment so far signals a shift to younger profiles with upside, including goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen and Ecuadorian winger Johan Martínez. The market remains open and further additions are expected, particularly in midfield following Guimarães’ departure.

Even so, quality remains. Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Ramsey are set to be important figures in the new project.

For Valencia, this is a valuable test before their league opener and a chance to gauge the evolution of one of the Premier League’s most closely watched projects, a club intent on reinventing itself after learning that spending alone does not ensure success.

Source: Superdeporte

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”