Forward of the Premier League’s return this weekend, Newcastle United supporters are as soon as once more excited concerning the future. Let’s put it this fashion, it is a very long time because the dreary Alexander Isak saga performed out within the north east.
The Magpies loved back-to-back victories previous to the worldwide break, hammering Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0 in Brussels within the Champions League, earlier than beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 at St James’ final Sunday; Bruno Guimarães and Nick Woltemade the scorers.
Subsequent up, Eddie Howe’s workforce tackle Brighton & Hove Albion in Sussex on Saturday, earlier than a sure José Mourinho will deliver his Benfica workforce to Tyneside the next Tuesday.
The Magpies undeniably boast a robust squad, however would this workforce be even higher had they stored maintain of expertise who’s now giving the skipper, Bruno Guimarães, a run for his cash?
Bruno Guimarães’ significance to Newcastle
Within the Saudi ownership-era, Newcastle United have actually had two marquee gamers.
One is best identified on Tyneside as he who should not be named, after he went on strike over the summer time to power via a transfer to Liverpool.
Thus, the actions of Isak has solely served to extend the love Geordies have for Guimarães.
Since arriving from Olympique Lyonnais for round £34m in January 2022, the Brazilian has accrued 163 appearances in black and white stripes, scoring 24 targets and registering 27 assists.
He has been instrumental in Newcastle twice qualifying for the Champions League, in addition to profitable final season’s EFL Cup, their first main home trophy for 70 years.
Talking on BBC 5 Dwell, Nigel Reo-Coker asserts that, alongside Sandro Tonalo and Joelinton, Newcastle presently boast the very best midfield trio within the Premier League, with Guimarães very a lot central to that.
Nonetheless, would this division of Howe’s workforce be much more formidable had they not been pressured to promote a homegrown star?
When Newcastle had been pressured to promote their new Gazza
Again in the summertime of 2024, Premier League golf equipment at risk of breaching PSR discovered a loophole involving buying and selling gamers at massively inflated charges between themselves.
Chelsea, Aston Villa, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle had been all concerned in such strikes, however the Magpies could have proved to be the most important victims in the long term.
They had been pressured to promote Yankuba Minteh to Brighton for simply £30m, whereas a swap, of kinds, was agreed with Forest.
They paid £20m for goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, who performed simply 45 minutes for the membership, whereas Elliot Anderson moved to the East Midlands for £35m.
Contemplating the Greek goalkeeper proved to be a burden greater than the rest, presently on mortgage at Sevilla, primarily, Anderson was bought to Forest for simply £15m, which now seems to be an absolute cut price.
His kind on the Metropolis Floor led to Martin Keown describing him as a “nailed-on” starter for England at subsequent summer time’s World Cup, with Peter Crouch including that he’s a “much better participant than he’s given credit score for”.
Anderson has began every of England’s final three matches, set to proceed that streak in Latvia on Tuesday, having additionally began all 33 of Forest’s Premier League and Europa League fixtures since early December.
This underlines how he has turn into one of many first names on the workforce sheet for Nuno Espírito Santo and now Ange Postecoglou, in addition to Thomas Tuchel, however how did his stats evaluate to these of Guimarães final season?
Anderson vs Bruno PL 24/25 | ||
|---|---|---|
Stats | Anderson | Bruno |
Minutes | 2,742 | 3,282 |
Targets | 2 | 5 |
Assists | 6 | 6 |
All statistics beneath are on a per-90 foundation: | ||
Probabilities created | 1.2 | 1.4 |
Cross completion % | 82% | 84% |
Duels contested | 15.2 | 12.8 |
Tackles | 3.1 | 2.3 |
Floor duel success % | 49% | 53% |
Aerial duel success % | 66% | 50% |
Clearances | 2.3 | 1.1 |
Interceptions | 1.1 | 0.8 |
Blocks | 0.3 | 0.3 |
Ball recoveries | 6.8 | 5.2 |
Touches | 66 | 67 |
Stats by way of Squawka | ||
Because the desk paperwork, Anderson and Guimarães’ statistics within the Premier League final season had been truly very comparable throughout the board.
Whereas the Brazilian scored extra targets and boasts higher passing numbers, the England worldwide comes out on prime for almost all of out-of-possession statistics, together with duels, tackles, clearances and ball recoveries.
His kind has seen an exponential enhance in his valuation, with Soccer Transfers estimating that his present market worth is round £47m, greater than thrice the £15m Forest paid for him.
Born in Whitley Bay, Anderson may have been Newcastle’s subsequent Geordie sensation, had he not been bought, in comparison with one other by Craig Hope who, talking on talkSPORT, asserted that “there’s one thing of Paul Gascoigne about him”.
Gazza himself got here via Newcastle’s academy earlier than being bought to Tottenham in 1988, and is extensively considered some of the gifted English gamers of all time, a key determine because the Three Lions reached the semi-finals of each Italia ’90 and Euro ’96.
Given his kind for each membership and nation, Anderson may do one thing comparable in North America subsequent summer time and, contemplating the 22-year-old’s fast growth, Newcastle should remorse promoting him, as a result of simply think about how good they might be with each him and Guimarães bossing the center of the park.
