After a frustrating summer transfer window and the agony of losing a place in this season’s European scene when Manchester United won the FA Cup, Newcastle United trundled their way through the opening stage of the 2024/25 campaign.
One week into December, Brentford beat Eddie Howe’s Magpies 4-2 in the Premier League, putting them in 12th place after 15 matches, seemingly set for another year of disappointment.
Now, Newcastle are Carabao Cup champions and third in the league standings after thrashing Crystal Palace 5-0 at St. James’ Park.
It’s all come together and United are one of Europe’s deadliest teams. With such exciting levels of success and a Champions League return on the horizon, it looks like Alexander Isak is going to stay put.
Alexander Isak's going nowhere
Isak scored against Palace, rounded up the rout, in fact, before the hour mark to take his haul to 25 across the campaign. Sweden boss and ex-Newcastle man Jon Dahl Tomasson said last month: “Obviously I’m biased, but Isak is the best striker in the Premier League.”
Biased or not, it’s hardly an outlandish claim. According to data-driven site FBref, Isak ranks among the top 12% of forwards across Europe for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90.
It’s not surprising the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool have a vested interest in him, but it’s no shock either that United have responded to intrigue by placing a £150m price tag on his signature.
That’ll ward them off. Given that Newcastle have tasted silverware this season and are in a commanding position to return to Europe’s elite competition, Isak, contracted to Tyneside until 2028, will be staying put.
He’s been quite the signing. Joining from Real Sociedad for £63m in August 2022, Isak is probably Newcastle’s greatest signing of the Howe era.
However, there’s one man since who looks like he’s coming close to that level.
Newcastle's best signing since Isak
Newcastle have enjoyed a financial boost in recent years, but there’s no denying Howe and his transfer committee have made sterling use of the funds provided.
Signing AC Milan’s Sandro Tonali for £55m in July 2023 is a glowing representation of that.
After a lengthy ban for suspension ruined Tonali’s debut campaign at Newcastle, he has come back stronger and is now the fulcrum of a fearsome midfield, pulling strings and raising levels of his Brazilian peers Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, who flank him in the engine room.
The 24-year-old completed 90 minutes across just one of his first 13 Premier League matches of the season, but has risen in responsbility since, playing every second of 15 of United’s last 17 fixtures in the top flight.
Matches (starts)
30 (22)
Goals
3
Assists
2
Touches*
49.8
Pass completion
85%
Dribble success
64%
Ball recoveries*
5.1
Tackles + interceptions*
2.4
Duels (won)*
3.7 (53%)
To the uninitiated, Tonali’s metrics might not look like much, but he’s a centre-midfielder whose genius lies outside statistical parameters.
He was regarded as a “world-class” talent by reporter Carlo Garganese during his Milano days, and the £120k-per-week talent has since made good on such praise through his influential performances in black and white, now a trophy winner and heading back into the Champions League.
Jacob Murphy hailed his Italian teammate for covering “every blade of grass” when he performs, working across various numerical assignments to become something matchless. Not a six, not an eight, but a truly complete midfielder.
He needed time to settle in and has faced adversity since first arriving in Newcastle, but Tonali is a one-of-a-kind player, and perhaps Newcastle’s best and most impactful acquisition since Isak was brought in.
Forget Isak & Murphy: Newcastle ace is now playing like an £86m superstar
Newcastle consolidated their position in the top four with a commanding win over Crystal Palace.
ByAngus Sinclair