After missing out on Szoboszlai, where do Newcastle go from here?

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 30 Jun 2023 18:55 BST
• 4 min read

Newcastle will be hurting. The pull of James Maddion’s large agency led to a London club, and of course, the wages he eventually signed for meant that they were always going to struggle to secure him; Newcastle have a stringent wage bracket they are not yet prepared to significantly increase.

Dominik Szoboszlai was the alternative, but now he is set to sign for Liverpool. Gentle whispers around this deal were around last week but there was a hope that such stirrings would force Newcastle into action. They didn’t. There was no bid because the player wanted Jurgen Klopp and made that clear.

There have been arguments over whether the RB Leipzig star was even a target in the first place, but make no mistake: Szoboszlai was up there. Newcastle have a knack for keeping their cards close to their chest but they cannot help agents and clubs from their targets speaking to reporters. News of their interest filtered through from Germany - soon other reporters caught wind, and Szoboszlai was the new name among Newcastle fans.

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Interest was there. It was a big blow, not least because Szoboszlai is one of the world’s best in his position. But what’s Newcastle’s loss is Liverpool’s gain. The club always wanted to make big strides this window and the addition of the Hungarian and Alexis Mac Allister, as well as the Reds' superb form towards the end of last season, is going to strike fear in those competing for Champions League football next season. But I think it would be more of a title challenge than anything.

Mohammed Kudus of Ajax is likely to be assessed, even though the sounds are that Brighton are ahead in that race. The Ghanian is a No.10 who can operate on the right-wing - that's the sort of versatility that Eddie Howe likes.

He would, at this point, make perfect sense, though Newcastle have a tendency to pull out a huge ace from their sleeve. The capture of Sandro Tonali is massive. The Italian media say the midfielder cost £70m, the ones in England claim that the fee is more like £50m. As ever, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

We have heard of interest in Joachim Andersen of Crystal Palace, but the club have so far baulked at the fee that the Premier League side have quoted. Tino Livramento is a huge talent and there is a good feeling around his move, but the percentage that Newcastle would have to pay his former club Chelsea over a potential sale makes matters more complicated.

Newcastle have been shrewd in previous windows (this regime, anyway!). We have spoken to many agents and associates who have spoken about how players are enticed by the project on offer. But they still do not have the pull of Klopp and the northwest of England. Manchester United would also serve as a more attractive club given their legacy. Newcastle must be patient, and so must their supporters.

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Anthony Gordon could yet become the player Howe envisaged him to be - Allan Saint-Maximin can still be one of their star players, if he is not sold. But in that there is an element of risk.

We expect movement for Kudus soon. It would make the most sense, he is set to leave Ajax and Newcastle have shown interest before. But the club must now act fast to ensure they don’t lose their third No.10 target to a Premier League rival.