Four candidates for Newcastle’s big summer sale ranked by how hard they’d be to replace | OneFootball

Newcastle United will likely need to sell a big-name player this summer, but which of the main candidates would be the most painful to lose and hardest to replace?

If the Alexander Isak saga last summer wasn’t enough, on top of the frustration of losing Elliot Anderson the year before and now seeing his value soaring into the £100m region, Newcastle now face having to sell another of their prized assets at the end of an underwhelming season.

Our colleagues at TEAMtalk claimed earlier this month that Newcastle would have to sell before they can buy this summer – and the BBC have also since reported that failing to qualify for the Champions League, which is increasingly probable, would likely lead to one or two major sales.

Newcastle will already be bidding farewell to one key player in the shape of Kieran Trippier this summer when his contract expires, but saving on wages won’t be enough. A high-profile, expensive sale may have to follow.

Newcastle didn’t want to lose Isak last summer and tried all in their power to keep him, eventually accepting a British record fee to send him to Liverpool. They must once again face the prospect of losing a player they’d prefer to keep, while striving to receive another significant transfer fee.

On that front, there are four main candidates who could raise funds this summer, unless Newcastle manage to scramble together enough funds via a range of fringe sales.

We’ve ranked them from easiest to hardest to replace.

4) Tino Livramento

On one hand, the prospect of losing Livramento is daunting when combined with the upcoming departure of Trippier as a free agent. Newcastle would go from needing to replace one right-back, to needing to replace two (three if you count Emil Krafth).

On the other hand, given Trippier’s exit, Newcastle should already be looking at right-back targets. If they have to cash in on Livramento, it might simply adjust the calibre of the targets they pursue.

Former Chelsea prospect Livramento has long-standing interest from Manchester City, but as a full-back is unlikely to fetch the big bucks that his midfield and attacking colleagues might.

There are two years left on Livramento’s contract, so this could be the ideal summer to sell if he doesn’t want to commit for the longer term, before his value drops next summer and becomes nothing the year after.

Newcastle are still entitled to a sizeable fee for the 23-year-old, but given they are already scouring the market for right-backs, his sale might not be the most painful if they can find a way to kill two birds with one stone while replacing Trippier too.

They will need to ensure they have enough depth left over and not put the burden on one sole replacement, but if they can find a reasonably priced right-back or two, it would soften the blow of losing Livramento.

He was a long-term investment, but realistically, how much further would his market value grow as a right-back? If he can be replaced for a negative net spend, it could be an optimal time to reap the rewards of their investment with a profit-making sale (of £40m or more).

3) Sandro Tonali

The prospect of Tonali leaving Newcastle livened up an otherwise fairly predictable deadline day at the end of the January transfer window for a brief time, when Arsenal were unexpectedly linked with the midfielder.

While no exit materialised, it has raised the prospect of Tonali being in demand in the summer – not helped by his agent Beppe Riso stating an upwards move “was the goal from the moment he went to England”.

Would it be a betrayal if Tonali turned his back on Newcastle after they stood by him through his ban for breaching betting rules? It might.

But Newcastle will have to match Tonali’s ambition as he arrives towards the prime of his career, with his 26th birthday approaching in May and more suitors than Arsenal queuing up.

They are a better team with Tonali, but may be becoming resigned to losing him in the summer. Once again, they will aim to maximise the fee for a player contracted until 2028.

2) Anthony Gordon

Gordon was unafraid to ruffle some feathers when leaving Everton for Newcastle, handing in a transfer request to force through the move in January 2023.

He has since blossomed into a full England international, having become far more effective in the final third from the outset of his first full season at St. James’ Park.

Rumours of a Merseyside return with his boyhood club Liverpool have lingered for a while, although Arsenal have also been linked.

Nevertheless, Gordon seems committed to the cause on Tyneside as he enjoys the best goalscoring season of his career.

Newcastle have found this season that replacing their goal threats can be a tough ask, with big money spent on Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa without coming close to replacing Isak’s goals.

Gordon has a long-term contract until 2030 and could go down as a Newcastle hero if he plays his cards right.

Goalscoring wingers can be just as hard to replace – if not harder – than reliable centre-forwards. The versatility Gordon offers in attack is extremely useful to Newcastle and needs to be protected.

1) Bruno Guimaraes

Guimaraes joined Newcastle in their first transfer window after the Saudi takeover and has since become something of an adopted Geordie.

Serving as captain since the summer of 2024, Guimaraes lifted the Carabao Cup trophy last season and made his feelings clear about his connection with Newcastle.

“This is my second home,” he declared. “We are making history. Some day when I leave this club I want the fans to sing my name the way they do to (Alan) Shearer.”

Given those words, it would hurt if Guimaraes followed in the footsteps of Isak by walking away from the club. But it seems unlikely that any departure would be instigated by the Brazilian himself.

Nevertheless, Guimaraes – in his prime at the age of 28 – should still be attractive to a range of top-level clubs.

He used to have a £100m release clause, but it expired a couple of years ago. Reports last week claimed he has told Newcastle he won’t be forcing a move.

Guimaraes has gone public with a desire to play for either Vasco da Gama or Athletico Paranaense in his native Brazil, but that doesn’t seem to be an immediate priority.

His immediate future should still be in black and white, with his leadership qualities even harder to replace than his ability in midfield.