Newcastle United

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

Image source, NUFC

Newcastle United have agreed to purchase the site for a new £190m state-of-the-art training ground.

The club will acquire 260 acres of land at the Woolsington Hall estate owned by former chairman Sir John Hall.

Newcastle plan to build new elite performance facilities for the men's first team and academy, with the flexibility to integrate bespoke women's facilities as well.

A formal planning application is expected to be submitted in early 2027 with a view to the men's first team moving in for the 2029-30 campaign.

Chief executive David Hopkinson said it was a "landmark moment" for the club.

"Subject to planning permission, our proposed performance complex will create the world's best performance environment for our teams," he said.

"We'll develop purpose-built facilities that are geared towards developing sustainable success in the future, where players, coaches and staff can perform at their very best every day.

"We will be submitting a detailed planning application that not only demonstrates our vision, but also how we will preserve and enhance a historic estate, its biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and how we'll be a great neighbour."

The club said they were committed to delivering the project "sustainably and responsibly" and stressed they will work "closely with the local community and local authorities as plans develop".

Last season: 12th.

This season: 12th.

There has been trauma on Tyneside this summer. Some of their best players - sold. The manager who brought the first domestic trophy for 70 years - gone.

So, a challenging job awaits for new man Matthias Jaissle.

The momentum has gone out of the Saudi Arabian project with the departures of Eddie Howe, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes from St James' Park. Uncertainty and instability reign.

Newcastle failed to land many of their top transfer targets, although Lukas Hornicek has arrived from Braga to address the goalkeeping problem, while midfielder Aladji Bamba is rich in promise after arriving from Monaco.

The same applies to Dutch midfielder Sean Steur, the 18-year-old signed from Ajax, and 20-year-old Bazoumana Toure, the Ivory Coast winger who has joined from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.

Defender Amar Dedic has arrived from Benfica, having worked with Jaissle when winning the Austrian title with Red Bull Salzburg in 2023.

An experienced midfielder is key, with Tonali and Guimaraes gone, and Joao Palhinha has been mentioned after a deal for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg failed to materialise.

Jaissle needs a good start - and more players - to settle the Toon Army's nerves.

• Read more of Phil's predictions

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

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Teams in the bottom half of the Premier League in 2025-26 finished with more points than they had in years, meaning that judging them simply by their position in the table is perhaps a little harsh.

Everton may have been underwhelmed with their 13th-place finish but it was the most points a team in that position had finished with since the Toffees themselves in 1999-2000.

The points of the four places below them were all the highest they have been in the Premier League for 23 years and West Ham can consider themselves unlucky to have gone down with the highest points total for an 18th-placed side since 2010-11.

However, competition has come at a cost.

One place where the Premier League has become less competitive - because it has become more fiercely-contested overall - is at the very bottom.

While it is almost expected for one side to be cut adrift long before the end of the season, nowadays two sides are getting left behind.

The average points tally of the second-bottom side in a 38-game season is 31, meaning teams that finish there have usually competed in a relegation battle for most of the season before ultimately falling short.

After the Premier League was reduced to 20 teams in 1995-96, only two 19th-placed sides failed to reach 30 points in the first 21 seasons. But in the past decade, seven of the 10 sides to finish in that position have failed to do so.

In the past two seasons, promoted sides Ipswich and Burnley have both finished there with just 22 points - the fewest ever taken by a second-bottom side.

Relegation battles are now mostly a fight to see who takes the final spot in the bottom three, with the other two accounted for long before the final day - often by promoted sides.

But inspired by the survival of Sunderland and Leeds, promoted trio Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City will all be hoping they have what it takes to match the competitiveness of the Premier League this season.

Read more on the Premier League's competitive numbers

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Tributes to the late Kevin Keegan will take place at St James' Park on Sunday when two of his former clubs, Newcastle United and Liverpool, meet in the Premier League.

The former England manager died in July aged 75 and both clubs will come together to celebrate his remarkable playing and managerial career.

The teams will warm up in special shirts and wear black armbands during the match.

Among several other tributes, a minute's applause will take place before kick-off and a display by Wor Flags will include both home and away supporters.

Fans have been asked to arrive early for the 16:30 BST kick-off.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on what you think will happen in terms of Newcastle's attack before the end of the transfer window.

Here are some of your comments:

Steve: Sell Nick Woltemade at a loss in January if he doesn't improve.

Joe: Personally, I think Nick Woltemade is one of the most unfairly criticised players at the moment. A very good start and lost confidence when the rigid system that he was part of failed to adapt. Once the midfield experiments started, it just got worse. Anybody can be top scorer from the penalty spot, but for me, Woltemade has real quality and skill, and I'm hoping Matthias Jaissle is the manager who can unlock it consistently and as part of a new-look, more adaptable playing style.

Colin: Any chance Jaissle could tempt Ivan Toney over from Saudi Arabia and resurrect the pairing of Toney and Yoane Wissa? If I remember rightly, they did quite well at Brentford.

Jacassaurus: I always wanted Woltemade to do well, I was convinced he would. However, he doesn't seem to either want or know how to kick on. He's technically very good, capable of magic, but he doesn't press, doesn't get in the box, doesn't attack the game and doesn't shoot. Unless something drastic happens, I just do not see how he can succeed in the Premier League. I've never wanted to be more wrong, though.

Portuguese football expert Kevin Fernandes, speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle about the Magpies' new signing Amar Dedic:

"Amar Dedic is an energetic, exciting attacking full-back.

"He's really good at transporting the ball forward, he will charge into the central zones with diagonal movements and he is very combative in duels.

"If anything, he is over-zealous and over-aggressive at times. His temperament is a gift and a curse. The 24-year-old is explosive off the mark and he can dribble really well.

"The problem with these sorts of players is he is always going to be the final ball, but he is definitely going to make things happen.

"If he gets into areas where he squanders the final ball, at least, it is a good sign that he is in the right areas.

"Dedic is only going to mature with age, something which the Premier League will force him to do.

"He is very capable of playing at left-back, he doesn't just stick to the right wing, run down the corridor and stick to that.

"He is also very comfortable coming inside the ball. He is one that will give into the chaotic style. He wants to bring that back to Newcastle as that's what they were so known for under their peak under Eddie Howe.

"He is someone who will be exciting to not only the fans, but the manager. He has played under Matthias Jaissle twice before, and he is a player that can easily come inside and bring more support and give more space to his partner.

"Having a player who can play inside or outside, you can imagine that the attack can become very fluid."

Eli Junior Kroupi, Igor Thiago and Nico O'Reilly were among the breakout stars who made their mark on the Premier League last season - but who will be next?

BBC Sport's TV and radio commentators have picked 13 players they believe are worth watching out for over the next few months.

Newcastle United's Sean Steur and Bazoumana Toure are on the list...

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Name: Sean Steur Age: 18 Position: Centre-midfield Country: Netherlands

Steve Bower: There has been a lot of talk this summer about Newcastle players departing, particularly in the midfield area, but here's someone they brought in early on - before Eddie Howe left - in a deal that could be worth up to £23m.

I saw Steur play in Europe for Ajax last season, and he made 25 appearances for them in all competitions in the end. He can either play in defensive midfield or a bit further forward, is two-footed and has lovely passing ability.

Obviously it is a big step up, as we know, to come from the Dutch league into the Premier League as a teenager, and also to arrive at a club in transition with a new manager.

But Newcastle have got players like Lewis Miley - who has come through in recent seasons - that Steur can learn from being in a similar situation as well.

I liked the look of him on first viewing for Ajax and he appears as if he has got the personality to play in the Premier League.

Steur is not someone who necessarily starts initially, or all the time, but he seems pretty fearless and is the type of player who could grab the opportunity if it comes his way.

Name: Bazoumana Tour Age: 20 Position: Left-winger Country: Ivory Coast

Steve Wilson: After a difficult summer, Newcastle will be hoping Toure can make an early impact, just as he did when he joined Hoffenheim from Hammarby only 18 months ago.

Fifteen assists and five goals during his time in the Bundesliga meant that comparisons with countryman Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig were inevitable. 'Bazoumania' burned brightly but only briefly in south-west Germany.

Toure - who is only eight months older than Diomande, now of Real Madrid - prefers to operate down the left flank, although he can be effective on both sides.

Combining his pace with control is not easy, but Toure has worked hard on providing an end product to go with his acceleration.

His one start and two substitute appearances at the World Cup for Ivory Coast were slightly underwhelming but with Diomande and Amad Diallo also in the squad, competition for places out wide was fierce.

Find the full list of possible breakout stars here

Newcastle have opened exploratory talks with Manchester City over a potential move for Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez, 24. (The Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Fancy testing your football prediction skills? With the new season under way, BBC Sport has just the thing to keep you entertained every week.

After the success of our World Cup Predictor game, we've rebranded it for the club season as Match of the Day Predictor.

It's simple to play - just predict the outcome of the six fixtures we've selected from across domestic and European competitions every week.

And don't worry if you've joined late - players can join at any time, get involved with the latest round and start building a streak.

Once you've submitted your predictions, you'll also be able to see what others think the outcome of the match will be.

Read more about it here

You can find the predictor in the navigation bar at the top of this page, or click here to play

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Matthias Jaissle already has his hands full.

As well as integrating Newcastle United's new signings, the head coach will also attempt to get far more out of last summer's recruits, such as countryman Nick Woltemade.

The German forward made a mightily impressive start to his Newcastle career, following his £69m move from Stuttgart.

But it proved a testing campaign in the end for a player who was even used in an ill-suited midfield role at various points.

"I saw that he had a difficult period," Jaissle said at his unveiling last week. "From the first day, we talked a lot. He should leave the past behind because it's something we cannot change."

Jaissle is a close friend of fellow manager Sebastien Hoeness, who effectively changed the course of Woltemade's career at Stuttgart, and has already spoken to him.

However, based on the brief evidence of pre-season, Woltemade won't be transformed overnight.

This big question remains: can the 24-year-old consistently thrive within an intense set-up in a physically demanding league?

Finding a lasting solution feels pivotal for Jaissle given the creativity and goals this side needs from different sources.

Newcastle have not only lost Anthony Gordon, who was their top scorer in all competitions last season. They have also sold their captain and talisman Bruno Guimaraes, who led the way for goals in the Premier League in 2025-26.

Having only signed one forward to date, winger Bazoumana Toure, will Newcastle have enough in the final third or do they still need further reinforcements before the window shuts?

What do you think will happen in terms of Newcastle's attack before the end of the transfer window?

Get in touch with your views here

Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Amar Dedic has already experienced what it is like to play at St James' Park.

The defender was part of the Benfica side thumped 3-0 by Newcastle in the Champions League last season, so he will be hoping for a much happier experience if he lines up against Liverpool on Sunday.

Dedic is one of Newcastle's oldest signings this summer – which is saying something – and only the second over the age of 20, alongside goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek.

The defender has never played in the Premier League before and, like all of Newcastle's six arrivals, he will need time to adapt to the intensity and physicality of the top-flight.

But Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson has already noted how Dedic is "incredibly hungry" to prove himself.

Dedic, crucially, already knows what Matthias Jaissle demands and expects from his full-backs, so it is likely the head coach will not think twice about throwing him in at the weekend, even after just a handful of training sessions with his new team-mates.

He certainly has the engine to get up and down the pitch.

Although Dedic only made 24 appearances in Portugal's Primeira Liga last season, he ranked second for full-backs for carries into the attacking third (49) and third for progressive carries (202) and total carries (325).

His ability to also offer cover at left-back will be invaluable, but Newcastle clearly need further reinforcements before the window shuts on 1 September.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United's latest summer signing Amar Dedic says it's a "special feeling and a really big honour" to sign for the club.

Dedic has joined from Benfica in a deal worth about £30m and he has reunited with boss Matthias Jaissle, who he won the league title with at Red Bull Salzburg.

"It's a special feeling and a really big honour for me to join Newcastle United," he said after the move was announced on Tuesday, his 24th birthday.

"I'm really happy to be here and can't wait to start playing for the club and the amazing fans.

"Working with Matthias again was a big factor for me. We know each other well. He knows what I can bring on the pitch and I'm really happy to be playing for him again.

"Playing Premier League football at St James' Park is going to be really special. Every game feels like a big occasion, with an amazing atmosphere. I'm really excited to get started."

Jaissle said he was "really looking forward" to working with the defender again.

"He's a player who I know really well, having worked with him from a young age in Austria and followed his career since," he said.

"He will bring both defensive and attacking qualities to our squad, which suits the style of football that we want to play.

"He's athletic, aggressive and technically very good, but also has a lot of potential to develop further."

Image source, Getty Images

Dan Burn was the "standout candidate" for captain, says former Newcastle defender John Anderson.

The club confirmed the 34-year-old England international would take the armband following Bruno Guimaraes' exit to Arsenal, while Joelinton was given the vice-captaincy.

"I think it was probably a no brainer," Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"A local lad, loads of experience, grew up supporting the club, had knock-backs throughout his career and kept going. It just shows that if you work hard enough and keep going that your dreams can come true, and all of a sudden he goes to a World Cup.

"So, bags of experience there. Dan Burn was the standout candidate. I know Thiaw had the armband [in pre-season] but Burn still hadn't reported back.

"Joelinton is the interesting one. You just hope that because of that added responsibility that he doesn't get too carried away and too aggressive because we know he can do that."

Listen to the full reaction below or on BBC Sounds here

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Image source, Getty Images

Last season, the Premier League was arguably more competitive than it has been for years.

While the 65 points between champions Arsenal and bottom side Wolves was around the average for a 38-game season (63), a real revolution took place in mid-table.

Since the league was reduced to 20 teams in 1995-96, the gap between the top four and the bottom three – between what has often been the Champions League and the Championship – had been increasing as the seasons went by, with the 'bigger' clubs profiting from their European adventures and the extra money they earned by regularly finishing higher in the table.

But last season, the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' of the Premier League dropped from 44 points in 2024-25 to just 26 points – the smallest distance for 23 years (since 25 points in 2002-03).

The European places were more attainable than they had been for years. Despite taking a point fewer than when they finished seventh the season before, Aston Villa clinched Champions League qualification by finishing two places higher.

While Liverpool took the 'bonus' Champions League place by finishing fifth, their points total of 60 was the lowest by a side finishing there for 19 years and would have put them ninth in 2024-25.

Bournemouth and Sunderland also took full advantage of needing fewer points than normal by qualifying for European competition for the first time ever and for over half a century respectively.

Read more on the Premier League's competitive numbers

Dan Burn had only been away from Newcastle United's training ground for a few months.

But the England defender felt like he had joined a new club when he returned following his post-World Cup break.

"I'm still learning names to be honest," he said.

Understandably so.

It has been another turbulent summer on Tyneside following the departures of manager Eddie Howe and influential figures Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.

Head coach Matthias Jaissle has brought half a dozen members of staff with him, while Burn has also been getting to know a handful of new team-mates in Lukas Hornicek, Ewen Jaouen, Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur and Bazoumana Toure.

That is before even mentioning the impending arrival of right-back Amar Dedic from Benfica.

However, rather than hunkering down for a season of struggle, as some pundits have predicted, Burn has his sights set on leading Newcastle back into Europe as the club's new captain.

"We've always done well as a team when we have that thing where it's us against the world," he said after Newcastle drew 1-1 against Strasbourg in their final pre-season friendly of the summer.

"I feel like we were always written off a little bit. We always seem to be backs against the wall fighting.

"For me, that's when we play at our best, when we've got that underdog mentality, so hopefully we will kick on."

• Read more of Burn's interview

Newcastle are preparing a bid of 55m euros (£47m) for Villarreal's Georgia forward Georges Mikautadze, 25, who is also interesting Barcelona. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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The Magpies completed off their pre-season schedule with a 1-1 draw against Strasbourg at St. James' Park on Sunday.

William Osula gave the Magpies the lead against the Ligue 1 side but Gessime Yassine's second-half equaliser forced a penalty shoot-out which the visitors won.

Matthias Jaissle named a completely different starting XI than the side that lost 2-1 to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, with first appearances for new signings Jaouen, Aladji Bamba and Bazoumana Toure.