The ridiculously good XI of transfer targets Newcastle have missed since Saudi takeover | OneFootball

Mick Jagger once sang ‘You can’t always get what you want’ but for Newcastle United fans, it seems you can’t ever get anything you want.

Johan Manzambi is the latest player to be ‘hijacked’ right out from under Newcastle’s noses in what is a damning indictment of the club’s ability to get a deal done since PIF took over.

Since Saudi Arabia’s takeover in 2021, Newcastle have missed out on an ever-growing list of high-priority transfer targets, so much so that you can create a whole XI out of players they have tried and failed to get.

So, with a formation that would make Garth Crooks smile, here’s an XI of Newcastle transfer targets missed since PIF took over.

GK: James Trafford

Trafford has been on Newcastle’s ‘new Nick Pope’ wish-list for a number of years but they have been knocked back every time.

It dates back to 2023 after he impressed with Bolton, but Newcastle got serious about their interest after the shot-stopper did well at Burnley.

When Burnley went up with a record defence, Trafford was the pick of the young keepers available but after Newcastle agreed a deal, a clause meant his old club Manchester City had the option to match it, and off to the Etihad he went to sit on the bench.

Newcastle could try again this summer but there’s every chance they get rejected once again.

CB: Marc Guehi

The failed pursuit of Guehi feels like the OG of Newcastle’s dismal record.

The Magpies first went after the defender following his performance in Euro 2024 and looked likely to get him. They submitted four bids, going as high as £65m, but Palace insisted it would take £70m for the deal to be greenlit.

Newcastle walked away and eventually ended up missing out on their man when City came calling in January 2026, by which time Guehi’s price had plunged.

CB: Dean Huijsen

In fairness to Newcastle, this one was a pretty swift rejection and not really close to being done.

Huijsen’s breakthrough performances had impressed the Newcastle higher-ups and when they contacted the player to see if he was open to a move, the answer was a clear one – only to Real Madrid.

The Amsterdam-born Spaniard held out for Los Blancos and got his move eventually. Newcastle instead moved for the excellent Malik Thiaw.

CB: Giorgio Scalvini

It is the curse of anyone making a combined XI that there will be some shoehorning and in this case, it is the third centre-back spot.

The man slotting in there is Giorgio Scalvini, who has been linked with Newcastle since January.

However, in typical Newcastle fashion, he is a player who is on the radar of a lot of clubs. Napoli, Atletico, Manchester United and Newcastle’s old enemy Liverpool have all been linked in recent years and should Newcastle find the magic number needed to prise him from Atalanta, who’s to say one of those will not come back in again?

CM: Mohammed Kudus

Newcastle were in a two-horse race with Tottenham for Kudus and yet found themselves beaten to the line.

Kudus was apparently picked out by Howe as a key target and the club were willing to stump up £50m to get him, but in the end he chose Spurs. They always choose Spurs.

CM: Johan Manzambi

The latest Newcastle rejection comes in the form of Swiss midfielder Manzambi, who was reportedly a practically done deal before choosing Villa instead.

The prospect of Champions League football, coupled with Newcastle losing two and maybe more of their best players, is possibly what persuaded the 20-year-old to pick Birmingham, but it is another blow to Newcastle’s transfer strategy.

RM: Victor Munoz

If Newcastle thought their summer of rejection was confined to 2025, that was proved to be incorrect early in the summer of 2026 with Victor Munoz.

Newcastle were in talks to sign the Osasuna forward in a deal believed to be worth around £34.5m but a week later, he was a done deal to Liverpool.

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CAM: Joao Pedro

Newcastle’s desire to get the best deal was what cost them when it came to Joao Pedro because they could not agree a fee with Brighton.

The Magpies submitted an offer of £50m that was rejected by the Seagulls, only for Chelsea to swoop in and get their man for £60m.

£10m is not a lot of money for a Premier League club these days and so perhaps Newcastle should have just bit the bullet and got the deal over the line.

LM: Hugo Ekitike

“You have Isak, we’ll get Ekitike” was how Newcastle fans were coping with the possible departure of their Swedish superstar but Liverpool were thinking “that sounds a great idea, let’s have both”.

Newcastle were prepared to make a club-record bid for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker before Liverpool decided they quite fancied him for their team, as well as Isak.

Of Liverpool’s transfers, it was Ekitike who had the best debut season before a long-term injury, leaving Newcastle all the more annoyed they missed out.

ST: Liam Delap

The existence of a £30m release clause in his Ipswich contract made Delap an enticing prospect for every Premier League club after his 12 goals for the Suffolk club.

Amongst those was Newcastle, who appeared to be confident of getting their man only for him to turn them down and favour a move to Chelsea instead.

In hindsight, Delap may have been better off heading north for he has struggled for form and game time in the capital.

ST: Benjamin Sesko

The summer of 2025 was a game of musical chairs for strikers with the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Viktor Gyokeres all on the move. Unfortunately for Newcastle, they were the ones left standing.

With Isak increasingly looking like he was heading towards the exit, Newcastle attempted to replace him with Sesko only for Manchester United to hijack the deal.

Perhaps most galling for Newcastle fans is that the club bid £5m more but the player was so set on joining United that he also forfeited higher wages.