Summer Striker - The Press Monster, Samu or Nope - Nunez

[Ragatino]

Alright gents and ladies.

A long way out from Summer but the talk of a striker is back on the agenda.

I'm sure that the whole Goal Keeping department needs to upgraded.

Most of the Defence is over 30, however, the goals conceded have been down to mistakes from individuals rather than poor team play.

A CB, RB & LB all youth - 20m max signings will certainly resolve those challenge in the back line.
A Keeper - should Pope get an extension, which is likely, should see the club go big 40-50m.

Elanga is the Miggy replacement. This summer Murph needs replacing. He'll stay but defo needs an upgrade. 40m

80+60 = 140m

That's the squad issues covered. The small issue of scoring goals.

So Osimhen is the ideal replacement.

Osimhen is currently in his most productive professional season. As of late February 2026, he has reached 33 goals and 7 assists across all competitions for Galatasaray, surpassing his previous personal best set at Napoli. He is expected to lead the line in the upcoming UCL second-leg clash against Juventus on February 25, 2026

He's been nicknamed as the Press Monster. Massive high press stats leading to turn overs.

Priced at 75m Euro. Not sure about his attitude and the option to get him before he went to Galatasaray. However, that would be his ready made player that would genuinely give the team a striker.

I wouldn't be mad at this signing but it wouldn't be my choice. He doesn't fit the clubs recruitment model age wise and with the talk-about being careful in the markets it probably won't happen.

The nonsense - NOPE NUNES

Apparently fuming about his Saudi career stalling. On 400k a week, happy to take a pay cut (what a hero haha).
27 yrs old in Summer.

Absolutely ridiculous that he's been linked with us. It's a no.

Right profile. Right age. Right growth potential. Samu Aghehowa

21. A proper athlete, proper unit, fast powerful, very trainable, a proper Eddie Howe player.

He'll cost a pretty penny but the idea of pairing Woltemade with Aghehowa would be outrageous!

A lot of competition for his signature no doubt.

What are you lot thinking about the summer striker situation?

Who of the 3 would you choose? Or do you have another option that I've not mentioned?

[Marat18]

Im not sure that you can get RB, LB and CB for 20m each.
Hall, Tino and Thiaw were 30m each. All three turned out to be great signings, but came either unproven in PL or with injury record.

Elanga was 55m, upgrade in RW position will cost around the same at least.

GKs are tricky, usually not as pricey as outfield players, but decent ones are rare find and might cost 40-50.

Aghehowa rumoured to have 100mln release clause, can we afford that?
Read about Nunez as well, thought it was a silly joke

Last summer the club had around 150m net spend. Bringing 5-6 new players needs 200-300m warchest.

With no CL next season I’d rather focus on first teamers. I think Trips, Schar and Murphy have another year in them if its mostly Conference league/early cups games.
So, GK, ST, LB, RW - in that order.
If recruiting team can pull one for free it would be a huge boost.

[Ragatino]

Im not sure that you can get RB, LB and CB for 20m each.
Hall, Tino and Thiaw were 30m each. All three turned out to be great signings, but came either unproven in PL or with injury record.

Elanga was 55m, upgrade in RW position will cost around the same at least.

GKs are tricky, usually not as pricey as outfield players, but decent ones are rare find and might cost 40-50.

Aghehowa rumoured to have 100mln release clause, can we afford that?
Read about Nunez as well, thought it was a silly joke

Last summer the club had around 150m net spend. Bringing 5-6 new players needs 200-300m warchest.

With no CL next season I?’d rather focus on first teamers. I think Trips, Schar and Murphy have another year in them if its mostly Conference league/early cups games.
So, GK, ST, LB, RW - in that order.
If recruiting team can pull one for free it would be a huge boost.

You have a point on prices Marat. I'll knock up a proper Costed response in a day or two to detail my thinking.

[Zippity]

Without wishing to add to the general air of doom (that's not a dig, I think most of us feel it after this season and our run of 4 defeats in the last 5 PL games) but there's a good chance we'll lose one of either Tonali or Gordon.

Granted, losing Gordon would be less of a blow based on this season but a fit and firing Hall/Gordon combination is a potent combination.

[Jammy89]

Possible Tino instead/as well as one of them.

Of your suggestions Rag I'd be looking Aghehowa as well.

Nunez has been linked because we were interested in him before LiVARpool swooped. Even if he takes a 50% wage cut that would still put him comfortably above Bruno as our highest wage earn and I don't see that happening.

[Ragatino]

Possible Tino instead/as well as one of them.

Of your suggestions Rag I'd be looking Aghehowa as well.

Nunez has been linked because we were interested in him before LiVARpool swooped. Even if he takes a 50% wage cut that would still put him comfortably above Bruno as our highest wage earn and I don't see that happening.

Yeah, precisely. Remember when they were crowing about beating us to Nunez, we ended up with the No.14 and we all know how that worked out. They came back and paid us 130m+16m in fees for the rat.

The big clubs don't recruit well. The Red Filth of Manchester never have, historically they have cherry picked players from mid-table teams who are performing well.

When they've recruited directly from abroad, save for Ronaldo and a few others they have been a disaster.

Aghehowa fits the age and development profile. Osimhen is beyond the age range and is on top top dollar already. Beyond the financial restraints of the club.
The noise around Nunez is just that. Noise. It's all manufactured from the agent to agitate and smoke out interested parties.
Newcastle United are not one of those parties.

[Jammy89]

The noise around Nunez is just that. Noise. It's all manufactured from the agent to agitate and smoke out interested parties.
Newcastle United are not one of those parties.

Spurs have been linked and I could see that If I'm honest.

[Guybrush]

I quite liked Nunez - must be the only one though 🤣

I just don?t see a forward coming in to the club over the summer - unless we sell of course

Wissa / Wolt / Gordon / Barnes / Elanga / Murphy / Osula

I think the big focus should be on the defensive 5 with full back cover and a keeper our priority

[Ragatino]

I quite liked Nunez - must be the only one though 🤣

I just don?t see a forward coming in to the club over the summer - unless we sell of course

Wissa / Wolt / Gordon / Barnes / Elanga / Murphy / Osula

I think the big focus should be on the defensive 5 with full back cover and a keeper our priority

Osula will go.
Wissa was the Wilson replacement.
Murphy needs to be replaced. Elanga replaced Miggy.

The kind of Central forward will be that younger profile.

Endrick would be the dream world signing for the club, which won't happen due to not making the UCL next season, unless the lads some how, win this years Champions League (HAHAHA) which is very very unlikely.

He's that young profile players both right and central Elite level potential.

It won't happen but that is the kind of player that the club needs to target. Ticks the versatile box, scored 3 goals in 4 games for Lyon.

[Ragatino]

Properly costed squad additions.

Two options available at left back both come in at around 20m quid. All money is GBP.

Left Backs

LB - Hugo Bueno - Wolves - current value - 9.4m quid

https://www.sofascore.com/football/p...-bueno/1013928
https://www.transfermarkt.com/hugo-b...spieler/698678

Wolves relegation would see the player available for around 15m would be my guess.

LB/LCB - Dayann Methalie - Toulouse - Current value - 7.7m quid

https://www.transfermarkt.com/dayann...pieler/1191444
https://www.sofascore.com/football/p...thalie/1894003

A Jan target who will continue to be monitored in the back half of the season.

Again a player who can be acquired for 10-15m quid.

Right Centre backs

RCB - Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal - Stade Rennais - 8.7m

https://www.transfermarkt.com/abdelh...pieler/1134251
https://www.sofascore.com/football/p...oudlal/1597145

Again linked in Jan and the club has scouted him more than a year.

Again doubling his value on the offer to 20m will more than likely get it done. Possibly with +5 in add-ons over the potential progression of his career.

There are plenty of players out there that can be signed with great potential for around that 20m mark. Brighton, Brentford, Bournemouth all do it and sell on for outrageously inflated prices.

NUFC turned up Minteh for 7m.

I don't doubt that the players listed above would come in a do the job as a squad player.

The early round of cups, offer fresh legs when the first teams need a break. They're all played a lot of first team football in the prospective leagues.

In the European League next season for example, should the lads fail to finish top 5, away to the 2nd best team in Bosnia NUFC can afford to play the likes of these lads and still win the match.

Goal Keepers

I haven't got a club the profile really.

Zion Suzuki - Parma - current value - 18.34m

https://www.transfermarkt.com/zion-s...spieler/432298
https://www.sofascore.com/football/p...-suzuki/905351

Not sure if he's the right one but again a player that can be signed for price that isn't offensive. A 30-35m quid bid (34-40m Euro) bid should test Parma's resolve.

Keepers are a bit of a blind spot for me. I have no clue what I'm looking at with regards potential.

Part 2 on other players, options in defence and further up the field to come.

Summary for this section


Dayann Methalie or Hugo Bueno - 15m +5 (add-ons)

Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal - 20m +5 (add-ons)

Suzuki - 40m

15+20+40 = 75m

The Club spent approx 250m Gross last season. Net, after sales was 115m / 5 = 23m quid. (5 yrs amortisation - 5 yr contracts)

The accounts for this season will see -23m for the 6 players brought in.

The UCL money will go onto account next tax year. The club have to spend big again this summer.

A total for 3 players for 75m / 5 (amortised) = 15m.

Next season the 23+15 debt = 38m. Revenues have to be available to cover that amount.