Ranking all 20 signings made by current Newcastle United ownership

Here, we rank them in order from the worst to the best – with plenty of highs and lows in between.

Fees are rarely made public, so where a confirmed price is not available, an estimate has been made from an assessment of all available data.

20 ODYSSEAS VLACHODIMOS

(From Nottm Forest, Jul 2024, £20m)

Odysseas Vlachodimos (Image: John Walton/PA) The deal to bring Vlachodimos to St James’ Park was tied up in the agreement that saw Nottingham Forest buy Elliot Anderson, so the Newcastle hierarchy can claim it was an essential move to prevent breaking the Premier League’s PSR rules. Nevertheless, the fact that the Greek international is Newcastle’s all-time record goalkeeping signing is staggering given that he has not made a single start for the Magpies. Eddie Howe clearly doesn’t rate him, so his future is uncertain.

19 MATT TARGETT

(From Aston Villa, Jun 2022, £15m)

Matt Targett (Image: PA) When Targett joined Newcastle three summers ago, it felt like £15m was a lot of money to pay for a player who wasn’t able to get into the Aston Villa team. The left-back has struggled with injury issues throughout his time on Tyneside, restricting his availability, but it is still hard to claim that he has offered value for money. The 29-year-old has made seven league starts over the course of three seasons, and has been unable to force his way into Howe’s preferred line-up.

18 HARRISON ASHBY

(From West Ham, Jan 2023, £3m)

Harrison Ashby (Image: PA) Admittedly, Ashby didn’t cost much, joining Newcastle from West Ham’s youth ranks for around £3m. Even so, it’s safe to assume the Magpies hierarchy would have hoped for a much bigger impact than the one the 23-year-old has delivered during his time on Tyneside. Ashby is still to make his senior Newcastle debut, having spent the last two seasons on loan at first Swansea and then QPR. Even at QPR, he only managed 17 league starts in the whole of last season.

17 JOHN RUDDY

(From Birmingham, Jul 2024, Free)

John Ruddy (Image: PA) The signing of Ruddy as a 37-year-old felt more about ensuring Newcastle’s training needs were covered and adding some experience to the goalkeeping ranks than recruiting a player who was actually being considered for first-team duty. That is how things turned out, with Ruddy failing to make a single appearance last season and often not even featuring in the matchday squad. Nevertheless, Newcastle have held talks over another potential deal to cover next season.

16 LORIS KARIUS

(Unattached, Sep 2022, Free)

Loris Karius (Image: PA) Another fringe goalkeeper, but this time one who at least played in Newcastle’s first team. And not just in any game either, but famously at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United. Karius actually did pretty well in that game, and added another senior outing to his CV before he left Newcastle as a free agent in July 2024, eventually going on to sign for Schalke. Even so, he remains one of the stranger Newcastle signings of recent times.

15 WILL OSULA

(From Sheff Utd, Aug 2024, £10m)

Will Osula (Image: PA) Given time, the deal that brought Osula to St James’ Park from Sheffield United might come to be viewed very differently. For now, though, it feels like a punt that hasn’t yet paid off. It didn’t help that Osula’s arrival was the only transfer deal of last summer, at a time when supporters were crying out for additional investment. The Danish youngster has shown glimpses of real potential, but either needs a run in the first team next season or a loan move in order to develop.

14 CHRIS WOOD

(From Burnley, Jan 2022, £25m)

Chris Wood (Image: PA) Wood didn’t come cheap as Newcastle opted to trigger a release clause in his contract in January 2022, and he didn’t exactly excel in a black-and-white shirt. He made an important contribution as the Magpies scrambled to survival in their first season under Howe though, scoring a crucial winner against Wolves, and racked up five goals in 39 appearances before leaving for Nottingham Forest in a deal that left Newcastle with a £10m loss. Given how well he has done at the City Ground, it is safe to say the Magpies did not see the best of him.

13 HARVEY BARNES

(From Leicester, Jul 2023, £38m)

Harvey Barnes (Image: PA) Barnes has done reasonably well as a Newcastle player, scoring 14 goals in 63 appearances since arriving from Leicester in the summer of 2023. However, given that the Newcastle hierarchy have repeatedly stressed that they cannot afford to waste a penny given the PSR constraints they are having to operate within, it’s hard to claim that his £38m price tag offered real value for money. The 27-year-old is undoubtedly talented, but he has found himself competing in an area of the pitch where Newcastle were already well stocked.

12 YANKUBA MINTEH

(From Odense, Jun 2023, £6m)

Yankuba Minteh (Image: PA) If you’re only interested in pure profit, the deal to sign Minteh from Odense should feature much higher in this list. Signed for around £6m, the winger was sold to Brighton for £35m without kicking a ball in a Newcastle shirt. That’s the big disappointment though, and the reason why the signing of Minteh turned out to be a double-edged sword. Yes, the Magpies made money out of the 20-year-old. But having been forced to sell him to satisfy their PSR needs, Newcastle did not gain anything from Minteh’s abundant potential on the pitch.

11 LLOYD KELLY

(From Bournemouth, Jul 2024, Free)

Lloyd Kelly (Image: PA) Like with Minteh, the signing and then subsequent sale of Kelly represents excellent business. Joining on a free transfer from Bournemouth, admittedly on very high wages, Kelly made just seven starts for Newcastle in the first half of last season before he was sold on to Juventus for around £20m. That’s some profit, but when he was actually playing last season, the 26-year-old didn’t look like the answer to Newcastle’s defensive problems.

10 LEWIS HALL

(From Chelsea, Jul 2024, £28m)

Lewis Hall (Image: PA) When they initially signed Hall on loan from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, Newcastle agreed to a fixed commitment for a £28m permanent deal the following summer provided certain conditions were met. The bar was set very low with those conditions, and when Hall struggled to hold down a first-team place in his first season on Tyneside, it felt like his price was too high. It doesn’t anymore. The left-back was superb last term, making the left-back spot his own as he played his way into the England team. The sky is the limit in terms of what he might go on to achieve.

9 ANTHONY GORDON

(From Everton, Jan 2023, £40m)

Anthony Gordon (Image: PA) Newcastle tried to sign Gordon for the best part of a year-and-a-half before they were finally able to prise him from Goodison Park for £40m in January 2023. At the time, that was regarded as a pretty hefty fee, but if the Magpies were to sell the winger now, with a host of Premier League clubs sporadically reported to be interested, they could expect to at least double their money. For all that his form might have dipped slightly at times last season, Gordon has been excellent for Newcastle, scoring 22 goals in his 106 appearances.

8 TINO LIVRAMENTO

(From Southampton, Aug 2023, £32m)

Tino Livramento (Image: PA) Livramento was regarded as ‘one for the future’ when he joined Newcastle from Southampton in the summer of 2023 despite only just having recovered from an ACL injury. Well, it hasn’t taken long for that future to arrive. The 22-year-old, who has just been one of the stars of the European Under-21 Championships, has rapidly established himself as one of the best full-backs in the Premier League. Manchester City are reportedly keen to sign him, but Newcastle will be doing everything they can to hold on to him no matter what offer is placed on the table.

7 SANDRO TONALI

(From AC Milan, Jul 2023, £55m)

Sandro Tonali (Image: PA) When Newcastle spent £55m to sign Sandro Tonali two summers ago, they thought they were getting a world-class midfielder with the potential to get even better. They were. They just had to wait the best part of a year for him to prove it. Tonali’s ten-month ban for gambling offences diminishes the success of his signing slightly, but since returning to action, the Italian midfielder has more than justified Newcastle’s outlay on his services. Tonali was brilliant last season, excelling in a deeper-lying midfield role, and he will no doubt be a key performer again as the Magpies return to the Champions League stage next term.

6 NICK POPE

(From Burnley, Jun 2022, £10m)

Nick Pope (Image: PA) Getting one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League for £10m? That has to be brilliant business. Newcastle picked up Pope for a bargain, largely because Burnley’s relegation meant they were forced to cash in on one of their prize assets. In the three years since, Pope has made Newcastle’s number one spot his own, racking up 95 appearances and producing a series of goalkeeping highlights. While the quality of his distribution might occasionally be questioned, there aren’t many better shot-stoppers in the whole of world football.

5 SVEN BOTMAN

(From Lille, Jun 2022, £35m)

Sven Botman (Image: PA) Botman has been superb since joining Newcastle in a £35m move from Lille in the summer of 2022. Had he not suffered from an ACL injury, however, there’s every chance he would have been even better. That is quite some thought.  The Magpies beat off competition from right across Europe to sign the Dutchman after he had impressed in Ligue 1, and their faith in his abilities proved more than justified as Botman seamlessly settled into life in the Premier League. He has made 69 starts for Newcastle, and will surely be a major player next season provided his injury problems are finally behind him.

4 BRUNO GUIMARAES

(From Lyon, Jan 2022, £40m)

Bruno Guimaraes (Image: PA) Guimaraes signed towards the end of the January transfer window in 2022, when Newcastle desperately needed to improve a squad that had stagnated badly under Mike Ashley. At his first press conference, the Brazilian spoke of playing for Newcastle in the Champions League, even though a spell in the Championship seemed more likely at the time. His energy, positivity and beaming smile have not faded since, with the midfielder’s on-field qualities and off-field leadership earning him the captain’s armband. A player, and a signing, that epitomises the transformation that has occurred under the current regime.

3 DAN BURN

(From Brighton, Jan 2022, £13m)

Dan Burn (Image: PA) He’s from Blyth. But he came from Brighton at a time when Newcastle appeared to be heading in a different direction to the upwardly-mobile Seagulls. Signed for just £13m, Burn has proved a massive bargain. He has played at both left-back and centre-half, filling in superbly wherever needed, but more importantly, he has also expressed exactly what it means to play for Newcastle United. Howe loves him, and it is easy to see why. A player who gives absolutely everything for the cause – you can’t ask for much more in a signing than that.

2 ALEXANDER ISAK

(From Real Sociedad, Aug 2022, £63m)

Alexander Isak (Image: PA) Remember the days when Newcastle were able to sign the best strikers in the world? Well, thanks to Isak, they’re back again. True, the Swede wasn’t the finished product when he left La Liga, and for a season or so, he found himself playing second fiddle to Callum Wilson. Newcastle always felt there was a special talent there though, and in the last couple of years, Isak has developed into one of the world’s top centre-forwards. Most clubs in Europe would love to have him, but Newcastle are adamant they won’t be selling no matter what level of profit they are offered this summer.

1 KIERAN TRIPPIER

(From Atletico Madrid, Jan 2022, £12m)

Kieran Trippier (Image: PA) The first signing of the new Saudi-led era. And still the best. Trippier’s arrival set the tone for everything that was to follow. Here was an established England international, preparing to play in the Champions League for Atletico Madrid, swapping the top of La Liga for a relegation battle in the Premier League. Trippier believed in the Newcastle project, and others were persuaded to follow. His £12m price tag seems laughably low, with his performances on the pitch more than living up to his massive influence off it. He might be 34 now, with 123 senior Newcastle appearances under his belt, but Howe has repeatedly fought tooth and nail to hold on to him. A signing that could not have worked out any better.