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Newcastle should target Erling Haaland's Norway team-mate to replace Bruno Guimaraes
Updated: 9 Jul 2026 15:57 BST |
5 min read
Analysis
Newcastle have been forced to roll with the transfer punches this summer, with the Toon having already lost Sandro Tonali to Tottenham and facing the prospect of losing Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal.
Freiburg’s Johan Manzambi is closing in on a move to St James’ Park while 18-year-old Sean Steur has arrived from Ajax. Nevertheless, Newcastle are still short of senior options in the heart of the field and could do worse than look at one of Erling Haaland’s outstanding Norway team-mates to fill the notable void.
It is a move that comes from left field, yet this is just the type of transfer Newcastle need after failing in the market last summer.
The window of 2025 could scarcely have gone any worse for the Mags. A total outlay of €275 million was spent on players such as Nick Woltemade, Anthony Elanga, Yoane Wissa and Jacob Ramsey, none of whom lived up to their price tags.
Another summer of failure would leave Howe’s side in a perilous state, and with Bruno potentially joining Tonali and Anthony Gordon in leaving the club, it’s vital that Newcastle find both value and quality.
Manzambi can only be the start
Midfield is the area that is most desperately in need of surgery, with Tonali’s departure blowing a hole in the middle of the park. With Bruno growing increasingly unsettled and going so far as to request a move to Arsenal in an echo of the Alexander Isak saga from last summer, Newcastle have a further worry to contend with.
Manzambi appears destined to arrive from Freiburg in a deal worth €60 million, yet he is a more offensively minded option than either Bruno or Tonali, offering a more natural replacement for either Joe Willock or Joelinton.
So what about deeper in the park?
Berg a bargain option with a huge upside
One intriguing option is Bodo/Glimt midfielder Patrick Berg, who has seen his profile rise first thanks to a stellar performance in the Champions League as the unfancied side made a run to the last 16 and then in the World Cup with Norway.
While Haaland has been catching the eye with the national team, the 48-cap midfielder has been quietly providing his side with a solid base to build from.
His standout statistic does not come in any one area, but rather in the fact that he performs so well across the board. Berg ranks second amongst his team-mates in the highest number of sprints and defensive pressures, and third for crosses.
Current ETV
Patrick Berg
DM, M (C)
Bodo / Glimt
Patrick Berg
DM, M (C)
Bodo / Glimt
ETV Range
€3.3M - €5M
Physically, he has been excellent. He has posted the highest average speed of any Norwegian player (6.98 km/h) while he has covered nearly 44km to date, ranking third among his compatriots in this regard.
The World Cup only offers a comparatively small sample size, but this can be expanded by looking at his Champions League performance, which again paints the picture of a midfielder capable of being competitive at the highest level.
According to data analytics firm SciSports, Berg’s performance exceeded Manchester United-bound Ederson, €45m Atletico Madrid signing Morten Hjulmand and even Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo.
A broad skillset
Berg is primarily a deep-lying playmaker who has an impressively wide range of talents.
He is a high-volume runner, with SciSports putting his stamina among the best in Norway’s top midfielders in this regard. This is combined with elite ball-winning skills, strong positional awareness and excellent tactical experience.
But there are technical attributes to match the mental skills that he possesses. The left-sided player is capable of controlling the tempo and transitions, while he is also a set-piece specialist.
The Bodo/Glimt captain, he has leadership qualities that would be invaluable to a Newcastle side potentially losing both Tonali and Bruno in the heart of their midfield.
An ideal fit for Newcastle
Berg and Newcastle are an excellent fit, according to SciSports’ Career Advice tool. This uses a variety of metrics to judge the suitability of a move for players, with metrics such as potential development, game time, playing style and formation used to calculate the outcome.
The Magpies score an outstanding 87 for Berg, showing no sign of particular weakness across the board. Howe’s playing style, in particular, fits the Norwegian well.
And they are certainly not the only Premier League club who should be taking an interest in the former Lens midfielder. Nottingham Forest (85), Ipswich (78), Sunderland (78), Fulham (77) and Everton (76) are all seen as strong options for the Norway ace.
Berg will have the ideal opportunity to raise his stock among potential Premier League suitors on Saturday, when he faces England in the World Cup quarter-finals, though for any club that has been paying attention, he is a player who should already be firmly on the radar.
